


The more things stay the same

by RyoKokoro



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Depression, Fluff and Smut, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-28
Updated: 2016-07-28
Packaged: 2018-05-09 22:40:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 21,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5558264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyoKokoro/pseuds/RyoKokoro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Drift is finally back on the Lost Light, but isn't too thrilled. More inclined to hide in his room that even attempt to socialize for fear that everyone on the ship hates him. To make things worse Megatron is also not only on the ship, but is also the captain! They share a history, everyone knows about it, but not to what extent it actually goes.<br/>Drift now has to fight for his freedom, or at least he thinks he has to fight, while everything seems to be against him. And Megatron, just wants to be a good autobot. Whatever that may entail.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You gotta start somewhere

**Author's Note:**

> **Author is desperately behind on the comics so there is likely to be some continuity errors, if there are I apologize. Try to ignore them, imagine its and AU or point them out if they are REALLY bad, I might be able to fix it. Or not. Most chapters will be at least slightly proof read, but mostly unedited.  
> Its also going to start off slow, but there will eventually be explicit activities between these two characters, and possibly more!

Drift sighed breathily in his berth, light shining beyond his shuttered optics. A lot had happened recently. Having been exiled for something he didn’t do to save his captain and friends reputation, only to find out Rodimus had spilled the beans himself not long after. Then spent months on a planet attempting to protect its citizens, to find out that he had put them all and more in danger AGES earlier by killing off the guardians as Deadlock allowing others the chance to turn them into weapons and worse.  
Ultimately having his friend and long time chastiser show up to bring him home to the ship, even more an outcast than before.  
On TOP of all that, in his absence Megatron was now for some reason on the ship, and Optimus had shown up and gone so far as to make him captain!  
Drift already knew Rodimus was a mess from this, despite how much he tried to hide it, a lot of new faces were on the ship, including a Legislator who seemed friendly, and Ravage. So far Drift had stayed in his quarters, miraculously not destroyed in his absence, and refused to leave. Mechs, usually Rodimus or Ratchet, and on occasion Rung would bring him energon, talk to him some through the door, or rarely he’d let them in, and then they’d be on his way, leaving Drift to his self imposed isolation.  
Ratchet had managed a few repairs to his damaged body, but his exterior most frame still bore dents and scratches, missing paint and in some cases, pieces of metal.  
Drift was positive his presence would be greeted with sneers and hatred. No matter how hard he tried, and the fact that Rodimus had told the truth, he was still certain everyone hated him. Drift especially didn’t want to run into his former commander either. All but convinced Megatron would kill him or at least punch him on sight. So instead he remained, locked away, his own prisoner.  
A soft knock on his door forced him out of his thoughts. The voice on the room comm was Ratchet. ::Drift I have some energon for you. Would you let me in? I have to check on your welds, and since you wont come to the medbay or even leave this room i have to do it here.:: Groaning, Drift was forced to open his optics, roll out of berth and open the door for the old medic. Drift was more under fueled then he was feeling antisocial so he had to let the medic in.  
“Alright, lets get it over with.” Taking the energon before Ratchet could even offer it.  
“Drift...” Ratchet shook his helm. “You don’t need to hole up in your room like this! No one is going to attack you or run away from you on sight!” Drift just huffed and held up the arm not holding his energon to expose one of the welds. “You know I can fix these better in the medbay right?”  
“Just keep me from falling into pieces alright?” Tipping back the cube, gulping hard and pulling a face at the medic.  
“What? I know your undernourished hiding back here so I put some mineral additives in it.”  
“It tastes like slag.”  
“Well if you’d stop hiding you could get your own!” Repairing a separating weld section.  
Drift just vents quietly, moping for a while as Ratchet cleans up the welds.  
“Stop it Drift. No one is making you stay in here but you. Is it Megatron? Are you afraid of him?”  
“I’m not afraid!”  
“Well then what is it?”  
“Nothing. just. I Don’t want to deal with it.”  
“Drift he’s not going to hurt you, you haven done anything, he’s not allowed too!”  
“Like that is going to stop him if h wanted? Like that will stop anyone if they wanted to? because they aren’t allowed too?”  
“Drift...”  
“No Ratchet! Everyone hates me! I’m an Ex Con, and my ex commander is out there! You know what they will all say! And I know he hates me! He’s going to find some reason to throw me in the brig for life! And Magnus will believe him and then I really will be trapped! And if he doesn’t, just being on the same level of the ship with him will have people talking about us! I have no way out! I’m trapped no matter what I do or where I go on this ship. Trapped by my past, by the stigma... I might as well be comfortable...”  
“Drift...” An exhausted sigh escaped from the old mech as he rested his servo on the younger mech’s shoulder. “People miss you, I miss seeing you. Swerve has been asking why you haven’t even made an appearance at the bar and Rodimus. The mech needs his friend back. After Optimus made him and Megatron ‘co-captains’ he really hasn’t been himself.”  
Drift turned his helm away, looking down at the floor. “He can come here if he want...”  
“Drift.”  
“Fine! Fine, I’ll think about it.”  
“It’s movie night at Swerves, I know people will be glad to see you if you come.”  
“I’ll... think about it Ratchet. Thanks for the energon.”  
“At least can you try to get to the medbay soon? I really need to do proper repairs.”  
“Yeah yeah whatever.”  
Ratchet patted his shoulder a couple of times and turned for the door. “People really do miss you. It’s not going to be as bad as you think it will.” With that the mech stepped outside and closed Drift’s door behind him. Drift grabbed his pillow, covering his helm as he slumped back against his berth and contemplated what Ratchet said.  
“Maybe he’s right, maybe its time I stopped holing myself up in my room. Movie night at Swerves though... I don’t know if that’s better or worse. There are a lot of people there, but they will all me staring at the screen. maybe no one will notice? Unless i do something stupid to frag it up and EVERYONE will notice... Arrrrrghhh Slaggit!” A soft thud followed as his pillow hit his door.  
“Slag why does it have to be so damn... stupid!” Throwing himself against the berth and covering his face in frustration. “Fine, well I’ll just check when it is I guess, if I go maybe I can get in just as its starting and sneak in the back.” Frustratedly standing back up and checking on the ships news on his console. “Okay it starts in a couple hours, I guess I could sneak in then, most everyone will probably be there early.”  
“Unless they aren’t and everyone sees me...” Frustrated, Drift huffs again. Closing the console with and angry poke before trudging to the door to scoop up his pillow and flop back down on his berth allowing the pillow to drop back onto his face. “They all still hate me, they’ll stare...” or not. Drift knew Rodimus had told everyone the truth and that Ratchet had spoken up for him. But despite knowing this he was still certain he was unwanted.  
After agonizing over whether to go or not for the next couple hours Drift finally decided to go ahead and attend movie night. Waiting until it was nearly starting time then quietly and carefully Drift made his way to the bar. Fortunately he managed to sneak in after everyone else had already taken seats, shuffling across the back wall to a dark area in the back. Avoiding of course the darkest corner where mechs who weren’t really there to watch the movie often spent time time ‘cuddling’.  
It was actually some earth movie this time, old hokey and in black and white, but it was better than an information video that was their normal movie type. So far no one had noticed him or at least made any comment about him being there. As the beginning credits rolled the light began to darken further and Drift started relaxing. Looked like it would be a good night for him. Maybe if he was quiet he could leave without raising any attention at the end as well. Settling into his chair he almost didn’t notice another late arrival stepping through the door, receiving a half shush before it was abruptly stopped by whichever mech had spotted them. He tried not to stare, but in the darkness Drift’s optics tried to make out the figure. Large was about all he could tell, but he’d get a better look. The mech was headed for the same corner he was sitting in, shuffling as quietly by the mechs watching the movie as he could, getting a few quick glances of the movie goers who quickly snapped their attention back to the screen. This added to the sinking feeling in Drifts tanks, as he got closer, and his spark nearly seized up when he realized who it was. Megatron had also come to movie night. He prayed he wasn’t noticed, and for a few moments more he wasn’t, but a short, albeit surprised glance from his former commander gave him away.  
Megatron did nothing though, just taking a seat and turning to watch the movie. Drift briefly wondered if he could sneak back out when the doors were closed. “No more late arrivals!” An annoyed sounding Swerve had closed everyone in. ‘Slaggit!’ Drift cursed internally, now trapped until the movie was over. His relaxed night out of his room had gone completely wrong already.  
People would see him now, sitting next to Megatron. An ill timed shift of his pedes knocked a table causing people to glance back and for him to curse even more to himself.  
Grip tightened to a damaging level on his seat as the movie went on, subconsciously leaning as far away from Megatron as possible. He barely paid attention to the movie, but wasn’t about to look around or even attempt to glance back at the former warlord sitting surprisingly close to him.  
As soon as the first of the credits began rolling, he was already headed to the door, walking as fast as he could without looking suspicious. He was out the door as soon as it had opened and took a brisk pace to his room, sidestepping a mech in the hall and scooting into his room.  
“Slag slag slag! Why did Megatron have to come? Why did he have to sit next to me? And why did people have to see it!?” Drift gave a swift kick to a chair, before crumpling into another one in a corner, covering his face in utter frustration. “Slaaaaag....”  
Hours passed before a soft knock came to his door. “Drift?” Rodimus’s voice over the comm. “Drift can I come in?” Drift had been barely rousted, still slumped over in his chair, Rodimus of course let himself in. “Drift why did you leave so fast? I haven’t seen you out of your room in months and the first time I did you bolted before I could even say hi.” Rodimus picked up the other chair, kicked to the side earlier by Drift, and sat over it in front of his friend. “Why’d you leave so fast? And why didn’t you just sit with me?”  
Blearily Drift rubbed the sleep from his optics and sat more upright, by now staring Rodimus in the face. “I didn’t see you. But you were probably in the front, I didn’t want to talk to too many people.”  
“I could have sat with you if you’d let me know you were even coming. A lot of people were surprised you were there.”  
“Yeah...”  
“Oh no!” Rodimus quickly added. “No! Good surprised! They were worried about you!”  
“Doubt it...” Rubbing the back of his sore neck from falling asleep in an odd position.  
“They were! People were wondering if you’d ever come out of your room again!”  
“Probably just to call me names.”  
“Drift... your not giving anyone any credit, including yourself.”  
Drift once again just seemed sad and irritated. “Why did he have to sit next to me though. It wouldn’t have been so bad...”  
“Megatron huh? Yeah he always sits back there. Never talks to anyone. The mech has a thing for movies, who knew?”  
“Really?” Drift was more than a little surprised.  
“The weird thing is he was late. He’s almost always early. I didn’t think he was even coming to be honest, said he had some work to do...”  
“So uhh...” he hadn’t asked but he felt like he should eventually. “How are you doing, you know, with everything involving... uh, Megatron.”  
“Don’t ask...” Groaning and slumping forward. “Slaggin know it all, thinks he’s so great.”  
“That good huh?” A almost half smile.  
“Yeah... but wait we were talking about you!”  
“I don’t want to talk about me. I’m fine Rodimus.”  
“No you’re not! I miss you and you never used to hole yourself up like this.”  
“Its different now!” The white racer snapping back. “Its different with Megatron! I can’t go out there, I can’t be seen near him! People will think we’re plotting something!”  
“Drift no they wont! They know you changed! And a long time before he did!”  
“What good will that do? Especially once the rumors start! I mean we were sitting together at movie night!”  
“You were sitting adjacent from each other, and there weren’t many seats left...”  
“Exactly! But thats not what people see! When they already don’t like you all they see is what they want! And what they want to see is two ex con’s fraternizing!” Drift slammed his fists down on the armrests of his chair, a small crack noise was heard.  
“Whoa you broke the chair! I thought these were better than that.”  
A pained look. “Not the chair.”  
“Drift? You broke your hand didn’t you? Ratchet said you needed better repairs! We are going to the medbay.”  
“I’ll be fine! I’ll just have him patch it up again...”  
“No Drift! You’re a wreck! You haven’t been properly repaired since you got here, I can tell you are desperately underfueled and undernourished and now your hand is broken! We’re going to the medbay!” Grabbing the not injured hand and giving Drift a yoink while he stood up.  
“Rodimus I’ll be fine!”  
“No! You’re going to the medbay. Its an order you have to do it!”  
“By who’s authority? I’m not a ‘bot anymore!”  
“Okay then as my friend? Please? Don’t make me do the puppy eyes thing! I can throw in a lip wobble too! you know it!”  
“Aauuhhg fiiine.” Mostly since his hand was now throbbing. “Back way, less people.”  
“Right, as long as we get there.”


	2. This is why you see a medic when you are told to!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drift's adventures in the medbay! Are super boring. Mostly involve getting lectured and Rodimus being Rodimus. Also megatron shows up, and Drift is left wondering why.

Due to Drift’s need to not be seen by ANYONE it took them some time to make it to the medbay. The entire time he was trying to ignore the aching in his broken servo as well as the pain in his pede from his earlier chair kicking tantrum. Rodimus tried to tug him along at a faster pace only to eventually give up and walk at an alarmingly slow pace for a speed mech.   
“Make sure no one is in there first.”  
“Drift! Its the medbay! Someone is ALWAYS in there! I’ve put up with every side hall and backtrack we took to get here and you are coming with me into the medbay now!” Gripping his good wrist and giving a hard tug, for once, easily forcing the mech to follow him. Drift’s injured malnourished state added to Rodimus’s ability to herd him into the medbay, where Ratchet was waiting.  
“You commed him? When!?”  
“I sent a personal comm right after you hurt your servo, but I’d told him I was going to make you come down after you ran out of movie night so fast. I thought you were sick soo... The hand just made it easier to convince you?” Shrugging with a typical albeit awkward smile from the flash captain.  
“Slaaaag.” Drift cursed again, wrenching his wrist free and glaring daggers at his friend.   
“Stop it Drift! I knew that if anyone was going to get you down here it would be Rodimus, I asked him several times to try to get you to the medbay. Looks like he finally did. And now you have a broken hand!” Drift was still glaring daggers at them both. “Stop that! Kid you’re a mess! I’ve been begging you to let me look you over since we got back! Now sit your aft in that chair and let me do it or so help me I will get Ultra Magnus in here to manhandle you onto the medberth and strap you down!”  
“FINE!” Stomping to the medberth and practically throwing himself down on it, the action breaking loos another weld and causing him to wince. “  
“See? Now look what you’ve done! You’ve popped another one loose!” Drift continued to grumble. “Rodimus, thank you. I’ll take care of Drift, you can go back to your duties if you’d like.”  
Rodimus was hesitant to leave his friend, especially so angry, unfortunately he was still captain, even if he shared the seat with Megatron. “I’ll be back by in a jour or less. Drift, just let him fix you alright? I want to see my friend back and healthy.” Drift scowled and closed his optics, throwing his helm back. “See ya buddy.”  
Ratchet got to work on his very fussy patient. Even going to the point of sedating Drift to keep him still. Dozens of split and weak temporary repair welds needed to be replaced with superior quality repairs. Drift’s internal damages were addressed and his energon was checked for impurities, which were found in abundance. Thick and sludge like, desperately underfueled thanks to a damaged tank and fuel pump overburning his fuel. “Pits kid! You’re worse than I thought! We need to completely flush your entire system, and some of these injuries will need to be checked repeatedly! I’m admitting you under mandatory medical care until all of this is addressed!”  
“What!? No! I cant stay here in the medbay! Just let me go back to my room! I feel fine!”  
“That is a lie! I know it’s a lie! I know the kind of pain these injuries cause! If you’d come to me earlier I’d have been able to prevent a lot of this! You’re deteriorating! Any longer and you’d literally start falling apart! I might not have been able to fix you!” Drift attempted to argue, but Ratchet’s stern face and the fact he didn’t have anything to answer with made him just flop back in defeat. “Better. I’m going to have to make sure you don’t sneak out.” That earned a scowl. “I’m cuffing you to the berth Drift.”  
“Don’t you dare!”  
“Would you rather I weld you to it?”  
“Uuhhhggggg!” A few moments later with a click, he was safely attached to the berth with a few feet of cord, so that if necessary he could at least stand. “Great. Now I’m a prisoner. Perfect.”  
“I wouldn’t tie you down if I wasn’t positive you’d bolt back to your quarters as soon as my back was turned. you need medical care! Proper medical care! And you aren’t going to get it in your room!” Drift continue to grumble and pout.   
“How long.”  
“For a full flush and important minerals and nutrition added. A week.”  
“A week? A week!?” Already trying to tug at his cord.  
“Yes, it would have been less if you’d just come in earlier!” Drift slammed his fist on the berth, wincing. “Dammit Drift! I just fixed that you slagging idiot!” Immediately going back to re-repair his hand.   
Drift spent hours fuming, tied to the med berth as medical energon was pumped through his veins. Monitors beeping constantly near his head, and the normal hum of the medbay as Ratchet and first aid attended to the other patients. At least Ratchet had rolled his medberth to the back and given him a curtain. It gave the illusion of privacy, though Drift could still hear everything. All he could do now was attempt to sleep, which was harder than one might think. He didn’t even have anything to distract him from his thoughts, and so his mind wandered, making him sullen and depressed. Nearly two jour after being moved is when Rodimus finally came back, far longer than he said it would be.  
“Drift! Sorry man, I got caught up with uh you know, captain stuff. Ratchet said your stuck here for a while.”  
Lifting the tied servo. “Like I have a choice. Trussed up like a war criminal. Just the image I need people to see.”  
“We both know you’d leave if he hadn’t Drift...” Which received an angry huff. “Drift I’m really sorry about how long it took me but, I uh, brought you a data pad? It has a bunch of your stuff on it and, some stuff I added. Figured you were bored.”   
Drift wanted to keep being angry, but he was exceptionally bored, accepting the pad with a half sparked ‘thanks’ and finding it filled with time wasting games, every anime he’d gotten from earth and a ton of movies. Finally Drift smiled. “Thank you Rodimus, was about to rip out my hair.”  
Rodimus stared at him a moment, confused. “You don’t have hair...?”  
“Oh no! Must have already done it! The stress is making me bald noooooo.”  
Rodimus continued to stare, before laughing. “Drift! What even was that?”  
“I don’t know. But I am really bored here. Mind wanders you know?”  
“Well I hope this helps. I know it helps me during boring meetings.”  
“Rodimus...”  
“What? Now don’t you start! They suck! A lot!”  
“You’re the captain! Those meetings should be first priority, especially since I’m not there to summarize them for you anymore!”  
“I know I know... any chance you’ll come back to be my Third in Command again? I mean, when you’re well.”  
“I... don’t think so. I doubt anyone will take me seriously with that position again. Not that anyone did in the fist place.”  
“C’mon Drift! You gotta not be so hard on yourself alright? A lot of people want you back! And screw them if they don’t! I need you at my side again! Especially with Megatron here. You wouldn’t believe how well he and Ultra Magnus get along, I need another mech in my corner Drift! Please?”  
“Rodimus...” He was already pulling the puppy eyes. “I’ll think about it alright? No Guarantees alright?”  
“Right right! But you’ll think about it?”  
“Yeah, alright.” Rodimus flung forward to give him and awkward hug. “Easy now! I already broke a weld earlier, I don’t need you breaking more before they are set up properly, or I’m going to get a lecture from Ratchet, again.”  
“Right, sorry. But you promise to try at least?”  
“Yes Rodimus.”  
“Alright, so, do you want to watch something while I’m here?”   
“Sure Rodimus.” Replied with a smile. And so went the next couple days, Drift tied to his medberth playing boredom games and watching his entire collection that has been compressed on the datapad. Rodimus visited when he could, Ratchet checked in on him frequently, Drift half thinking it was just to check that he hasn’t escaped. it got easier to sleep in the medbay, the beeping and other various noises turning into white noise, including the one still pumping and cleaning his energon.   
After and exhausting visit from an excited Rodimus Drift had slipped into his deepest sleep since being forced into the medbay. Only slightly becoming more awake he barely registered the word ‘Captain’ from Ratchet. Figuring it was just Rodimus returning he kept his optics tightly closed, he was too tired to deal with his friends antics. Still, mostly asleep, he slowly became more aware of the voice chattering with Ratchet. It was lower, much, but equally familiar.  
Suddenly he was very much more alert and awake, still with optics shut, so as not to give away that he was listening.  
“Rodimus says he is going to reinstate Drifts status as soon as he is out of the medbay.”   
“His spark is in the right place Megatron, but I doubt Drift is ready. And I’ feeling you think the same.”  
“He has not left his quarters since you returned with him, and judging by the state of him, I don’t think he is mentally ready to be in charge of anyone.”  
“Rung would best determine that, but of everything I’ve seen and dealt with, I’d agree. Besides, his physical ailments will keep him out of any kind of work for a while. I’ve discovered he has deteriorating joint rot from some kind of virus he caught out there. I can fix it, he’s already being treated, but even once he is released from the medbay, he’ll need to be medicated for lunar cycles.”   
“Very well. Keep me updated on his condition. He has always been a stubborn mech when it comes to medical care.”  
“Don’t I know it Megatron. I can inform you when he wakes up if you’d wish to speak to him?”  
“No, uh, not necessary. Just keep me informed. Perhaps next time I come by he will be awake. Until then.” Drift heard heavy pedefalls as Megatron left, exhaling a vent full of air he didn’t realize he was holding. Only to have Ratchet poking his helm in a few moments later.   
“How much of that did you hear?” Drift cracked open and optic. “C’mon kid I know you were awake for part of that. I can see your monitor and your spark pulse rate suddenly increased.” Drift forced the other optic open, blinking blearily. Ratchet must have known what he was about to ask. “I doubt he knew you were awak, his back was turned and the sound is off on the monitor.”  
“What did he come here for?”  
“To check on you. You and some of the others in the medbay. Oddly enough he does that sometimes. Megatron told be he’d learned of your admittance here and felt he should get the full story directly from me.”   
“So you told him everything.”  
“I had to Drift, he is the captain and if he wants the medical status of any of his crew I have to tell him. Anyone else it wouldn’t be that way.” Ratchet could see Drifts face turn sour, to almost afraid. “Drift, you really don’t need to worry about him. He’s been, surprisingly ‘good’ since he’s been here. And he’s trying really hard to continue being a good captain to the ‘bots.”   
“And making Rodimus feel like slag.”  
“He’s trying, he has a lot to re learn.”  
“Your defending him.”  
“No... Well I guess I am a little. Drift, give it a chance will you? A lot of people are still adjusting to it, but as far as I’ve seen, he’s doing a good job.” Ratchet stoped, in thought for a moment. “I think he’s concerned about you. And not just ‘as a member of the crew’ as he is fond of saying. He seems genuinely concerned about your welfare, despite appearances.”  
Drift huffed at that. “Concerned? About the traitor that betrayed him? That turned his back on him and left the mech that dragged a street mech out of the trash to be in his crew? No... I don’t think so.”  
“Drift! Now for pits sake! Stop that! This is not like you! Not to this degree! You can’t believe what your saying! you are just so focused on being angry and scared, that you are reading the absolute worst into any situation. Even if your fears a baseless! Megatron does not hate you. Alright? He doesn’t! I’ve known mechs, thousands of them, I know hatred when I see it! Even if they try to hide it! Megatron is worried about you! I don’t know why, or what caused it, but you specifically he is worried about. Suck it up Drift and stop acting like a child! I am telling you, now, to your face, because you can’t seem to get it through your thick skull! Nobody hates you, nobody is afraid of you snapping and nobody is afraid of you fraternizing with Megatron!” Ratchet released one solid vent. “At least nobody who hadn’t already decided that before, but that is neither here nor there. You are safe to roam the halls of this ship. No one is going to stab you in the back. No one is going to run in fear, and no one is going to throw things at you. Drift, a lot of mechs miss seeing you around, and your positivity, no matter how false it was. It was uplifting to them. Now just, stop bing so slagging stubborn, and try, just try to get back to normal life once your out of here will you?”  
Drift just stared at his hands, looking over the damage now healing. He couldn’t look at Ratchet, not after all that. Ratchet however finally stood, clapping his hand down on Drifts arm. “And on an unrelated note, your fangs and claws are growing back in. Whatever you’re doing to file them back you need to stop. Especially while your healing. You don’t need to stress your body even more dealing with having parts of your frame filed down to nothing.”   
“What? Really? You want me to stop hiding and let everyone see me all... sharp!?”  
“Drift, its part of your frame, your cna. It keeps growing back, its going to keep growing back. If you stop now, people will get used to it eventually and you wont have to do it anymore at all. Besides, right now its non negotiable. No filing!”   
“Arrrrghhhh!” Picking up the closest non attached thing, being his datapad, and about to toss it across the room. Stopping himself just before he let go. That Datapad was the only thing alleviating boredom, he couldn’t loose it now. He eventually settles for a small rolling table that the pad had been sitting on and kicked it over.  
“Really mature Drift. Just rest up. With your joints in the condition they are, you will need to be here a bit longer than originally anticipated. But if you behave yourself, I’ll untether you, alright?”  
“Fine.” Slamming back against the padding in an angry pout.   
“Now I’ll send someone in to clean up your mess. Do me a favor and don’t kick them too.” That just got more pouting.


	3. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More time in the medbay, Drift is bored. Someone pays him a visit and he isn't too pleased.

Booored. Bored bored Drift was so bored. He’d gotten tired of his datapad and had already been in the medbay for a week. Ratchet kept extending his time there by a day or two at a time, now he had to be in the medbay another week to treat his joint condition. Part of that treatment involved a dozen or so injections a day, one in each major joint one day, then one in every joint on his hands the next, alternating repeatedly. Drift was not happy with this arrangement, especially since it meant he was trapped there even longer.  
At least Ratchet lived up to his end of their bargain and finally took his wrist tether off. Drift was now able to stand and pace slightly around his ‘private’ room. Unfortunately he was still hooked up to monitors for the treatment of his virus and his energon was still not filtered properly. Ratchet had scheduled his surgery to repair the internal filters for the next day, for now, Drift was left to wait.  
After an hour of fruitless pacing around a tiny area he could reach Drift gave up on ‘exercising’ and crawled back into his medberth. Regrowing claws threatening to poke into the padding as he moved. “Slag I forgot about that part.” Focusing on his hands. The claws had only half grown back in, but he could practically feel them growing. After every time he filed them, they would stay away for some time, then suddenly start growing back rapidly. More pressing however, were the fangs. A double set on the top and a single on the bottom. Denta had already extended and now were working on their points, once finished they’d be incredibly sharp. Boredom lead to Drift licking them constantly, and moved on to him clicking his fresh claws against his fresh fangs. The ‘Click Click Click’ of his claws on his fangs covered the sound of approach.  
“I’m pretty sure Ratchet would not approve of that activity. He did tell you to leave them alone did he not?”  
Drift startled, poking a digit with the tip of his fang and cursing loudly as he swiveled his helm to see who had walked into his room. “Megatron?!” Why didn’t he realize it was his voice? “What are you even doing here.” Attitude quickly shifting to surly, Drift crossing his arms and trying to look at his feet instead of his former commander. “And why do you even know that?”  
“Overheard him talking to you. I’d stepped back into the medbay to retrieve a pad I had left behind.” Oh great, and now he knew that Drift had faked being asleep while they were talking. Maybe he’d just think Ratchet had woke him up after Megatron left, Drift hoped. “You know you really should leave them. I never understood why you started filing them back, you have a beautiful natural set, both of fangs and claws.” Megatron realized how it might have sounded, and cleared his vocador. “Anyway, How are you feeling Drift?” Shifting awkwardly, also having a hard time making eye contact with his former subordinate officer.  
“I’ve been in the medbay for a week, and will continue to be for another week. I’m bored more than anything.” Picking at the edge of his datapad. “Why do you care anyway?”  
“I care because you are part of the crew. I am the captain, its my duty to keep tabs on the crew in medical care.”  
“You never cared before, I never saw you go to the medbay. Not unless I was there, and that was _once_. Just before you kicked me off your ship to that slag hole Turmoil’s ship!”  
“I had my reasons for that!” Megatron snapped towards Drift. Then quickly turned his helm away. “I had reasons for sending you there. Good ones. I had plans for you Drift. A lot of good it did.” Clenching his jaw shut.  
“Would have been good to know before you shipped me off! But at least something good came of it. I finally realized just how much of an aft you are! And how slagging broken the cons were! You were a visionary once, and you turned into a genocidal murderer, you turned us _all_ into murderers...” A rueful glare directed at his hands, clenched in anger.  
Megatron, had no retort, he knew Drift spoke the truth. “We looked for you, I looked for you. I wanted you back Drift. On my ship in my crew... You belonged with us.”  
“Yeah and then you sicked the DJD on me.”  
“What was I supposed to do!? You betrayed us! You left us behind AND turned on us! I did what I had to! If I let you go the crew would have thought I’d gone soft! Why do you think I sent Lockdown after you first?”  
“That cruel sparked slaghat would have takin off limbs and slaughtered dozens to get me back for you. He was not much better.”  
“Drift!” Megatron getting impatient. “Pits, if you’d just, if you could have taken orders...”  
“They weren’t your orders, they were _his_.” Voice full of spite. He held a deep hatred for Turmoil. “ But it doesn’t matter now does it? I saw the light on that planet. I met a wonderful mech, several mechs in fact that reminded me what I’d joined for. What I’d started fighting for. Showed me what I turned into and how far I’d fallen.” This time he turned his gaze back up to Megatron. “And you can no longer say you don’t understand why I left, now can you? _Autobot_?”  
Megatron’s turn to exvent angrily, but again, Drift’s words rung true, there was not debating them.  
“So what are you here for? Really? To mock me? Or berate me for my life choices and make me feel like slag? Or just nag me about things on my frame that are no longer your concern?” Slag, Megatron had forgotten why he’d come in the first place, not expecting their conversation to escalate into a fight that quickly.  
“Actually none of those. I genuinely wanted to know how you were doing for one.” Knowing Drift didn’t believe him in the slightest. “I’d come, because I started looking into the events that got you expelled.” Drift gave him and suspicious optic ridge raise. “I was curious, since everyone knows now that you had nothing to do with it. According to what I discovered, as well as what Ultra Magnus told me, since the event you were accused of was in fact not your fault, and your accuser turned out to be one of the primary ones responsible, it means your punishment is void.” Adding confusion to Drifts suspicious expression. “We can’t take back your exile, but the other punishments inflicted on you, according to Magnus, became nulified once the truth came out and was accepted by the actual party, and whether or not punishment has been dealt to that person, you are free of blame.”  
“And that means...?”  
Megatron rolled his optics. “What it means Drift, is technically, you’re still an Autobot and your technically, still the Lost Light’s third in command.”  
Drift took a few moments for that to register. “But you don’t think I’m ready to be third in command.”  
“So you did hear that.”  
Slaggit! Drift just gave himself away!  
“No, you aren’t ready to come back in command of your post. We have an acting third in command, but as soon as you are ready to return, legally, you can step back into your old role.” Drift was quiet for a while, absentmindedly touching where his autobrand once sat. “Rodimus still has your badge, I’ve seen it on his desk. I’m sure he’ll be pleased to return it to you, as soon as he wakes up from being utterly plastered.”  
“Wait what?” When did Rodimus get that sloshed?  
“I told him what I discovered first, he was thrilled and went to Swerves party last night. Turns out he ordered drinks much to strong for him, he’s currently passed out in his quarters.”  
“Yeah that sounds like Rodimus.” A smile creeping onto his face, giving Megatron the tinies glance of Drifts new forming fangs.  
“Your surgery is tomorrow right?”  
Attention snapping back to the grey ex warlord. “Uh yeah. I’ll be out of it most of the day...”  
“I’ll, let Rodimus know when he wakes up.” Turning to walk away, pausing, and shifting his stance awkwardly. He couldn't’ decide if he wanted to say anything else to this mech, hoping not to cause another argument to a mech already stress and unhealthy in the medbay. A glance from a very annoyed looking Ratchet made his mind up for him. “I will see you when you are better Drift... Hope it goes well.” Megatron holding up his head, taking on his same familiar demeanor and striding out of the medbay.  
“Yeah, later Megatron.” Drift half grumbled, but still said just loud enough to be heard.  
Ratchet was there moments later, scowling. “The nerve of him riling you up. You have an important surgery tomorrow, you don’t need the extra stress. I’m going to sedate you lightly Drift, you need the rest.”  
“I don’t need sedation Ratchet.”  
“You might not think so, but I need you to rest right now, and I know you. You’re going to mull this over in your mind. Over and over and over again and drive yourself insane, causing greater stress on a frame that doesn’t need it. So for your sake I’m going to make you sleep the next several jour.”  
“Fine.” Drift held up his arm, ready for another injection.  
“I don’t need to stick you with anything that you’re not already connected to. I’ll just add it to your fluids.” Drifts arm flopped limply back to the berth.  
“Whatever. I don’t really want to think about it right now anyway. Knock me out, I’ll deal with this new development later.”  
Ratchet rolled his optics at Drifts overly apathetic response. “See you in the morning Drift.” Adding the sedative to his fluids.  
Drift waved him off, staring off into space, his mind couldn’t help but dwell on what just happened. Megatron had visited him, they had had a very loud and cutting argument, and then Megatron told him he’s back in command whenever he’s ready and still an autobot, before briskly and awkwardly retreating. Sedatives finally setting in, Drift’s optics got heavy, shuttering closed. He fought the sleep at first, instinctively, before giving in, thankful he wouldn’t have to think about it for a while. 

Morning rolled around and his sedation wore off, optics fluttering open. Already First Aid was checking his charts and vitals. “Your surgery is in a jour and a half Drift. Rodimus came by but you were still sleeping. He left something for you after your surgery, but it will have to wait. Ratchet is preparing a proper surgical suite at the moment. Is there any concerns you have?” Groggily blinking at the younger medic.  
“Oh, uh, no. It’s pretty strait forward isn’t it? Knock me out again, open me up, fix a faulty filter and I’m out.”  
“Essentially yes. It depends on how clogged and damaged it is of course, but once its repaired you should be able to filter your energon properly and finally be able to leave the medbay. Bet your excited for that! No more couped up here.”  
“Yeah... excited.” More like dreading having to interact with people again. There was no way anyone was going to allow him to hide in his room again. “You said Rodimus left something for me?”  
“Oh! Yes, but he insisted it wait until after your out of surgery. Something about a ‘get well and I’m sorry present’.”  
“Yeah that sounds like something he’d do. Anything I have to do to get ready?”  
“A cleansing shower first. I’m here to disconnect you from most of this so you can take a proper shower. Have to have the cleanser hot and clean deep in the seams, just to be cautious.”  
“Great.” It was only half sarcastic, but he had to admit, a hot shower sounded _really_ good right now. “How long will it take?”  
“To disconnect you will take a few minutes, then the shower a while longer, you should be back in bed about half a jour before the surgery.”  
“Alright then, lets just get this over with.” Sliding feet over the edge of the berth.  
“Hold on a moment! Let me disconnect you!” Hurriedly trying to unhook the surly patient and then leading him towards the shower past his curtain.  
Drift tried to be courteous, First Aid probably had better things to do then fuss over Drift, and though he didn’t seem it, Drift appreciated the effort. For the duration of his shower, Drift was left on his own, First Aid returned to his duties and once the shower was over Drift got back to his own medberth. First Aid had informed him that he didn’t need to be hooked up to anything until after the surgery so he was left to his own devices, picking up his datapad and scrolling through the movies. But now alone, his mind wandered to the day before. To Megatron, to what they spoke of to each other. To their history. he didn’t even realize how long he’d been thinking about it when First Aid came to roll him off to surgery.  
“You ready Drift? It shouldn’t take too long, and you should be able to have guests by tonight, or early tomorrow morning.”  
“I’m ready. I’m getting tired of this setting anyway.”  
“You do know you’re still going to have to be here several days after the surgery for your joint treatments right?”  
“Yeah yeah, don’t remind me. Lets just get my filter fixed.” Laying on the gurney. “Take me away!”  
First Aid shook his helm. “Alright Drift.” Rolling him out the door, down the hall and into Ratchet’s skilled hands.


	4. What are friends for?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More hospital things! Drift hates it. Hates it so much. He wants to leave so bad but Ratchet advises against it. At least Rodimus shows up to make him feel better!

Drift awoke long after the surgery, the next morning in fact, groggy confused and in mild pain. Optics still shut he slowly became more aware of his own frame, and something felt, very off. A servo reached for his abdomen, the source of the discomfort, finding a lot less resistance than he expected. 

“Oh! Slag Drift your awake!” Rodimus’s voice spoken entirely too loud right next to him. “Don’t do that! Don’t touch that too much. You’ve only got medical mesh and bandages protecting you right now. Ratchet said something about swelling or heat or needing to check it, something. I wasn’t paying very much attention.” That got a sigh from Drift. “Hey man! Don’t be like that! I was worried when you came back without your belly plating!” 

Drift cracked and optic. “Then why didn’t you ask to clarify.” Vocador hoarse and weak. “Is it morning?”

“Hey I tried, I just, didn’t understand! And yeah its morning. There was a complication, it took longer than they thought it would. Serious damage to one of your filters. Ratchet said its all fixed but he needed to check it. Oh yeah! Thats right! He said he’ll replace the plating today after he checked the repair and made sure it wasn’t over heating or swelling! See I did pay attention!” 

Drift rolled his optics, mostly under eyelids and squeezed them shut again to protect them from the light. “When is he going to do that?”

“Uh soon I think. I’ve been here all morning, fell asleep waiting for you to wake up though.” Drift smiled at his friends dedication. 

“All morning? Don’t you have work?”

“Megatron is covering. Not like I’m needed that much anyway.”

More underlid eye rolling. 

“You didn’t try to look at my gears did you?”

“No! No of course not.” A pause. “Maybe once but Ratchet caught me and smacked me with something.” Drift laughed before groaning in pain. “Woops, maybe making you laugh is a bad idea.

“You think?” Still grinning at him. “I guess early release is out of the question?”

“You would guess right.” A voice from the other side. Ratchet had come to check on his patient after hearing the two of them talk. “You gave me a lot harder time than I expected. I really wish you’d just come to the medbay when I told you to / when we got back to the ship./” That got a loud groan from the patient. “Don’t you groan at me kid! You had a severely impacted filter on the verge of total collapse! You would have completely poisoned your energon had it gone any longer! I’m just glad you broke your hand or you might be half dead right now!”

“C’mon Ratchet! It couldn’t have been that bad! I felt fine!”

“I doubt it. You just became so low activity you didn’t notice yourself deteriorating!” Ratchet took a moment this time to vent and calm down. Stressing out his patient right after a surgery was not good for him, no matter how much he wanted to chew the young mech out for being a stubborn idiot. “Look, I have to check to make sure your healing correctly right now, which means Rodimus has to go to the waiting room.

“Aw can’t I stay?”

“No, I really don’t think you want to see his inner gears alright? Now wait outside until I tell you to return, it wont take long. I won’t even have to sedate him entirely.”

“Wait wait wait, you’re going to be poking around inside me while I’m awake?”

“You won’t feel it Drift, but yes. I don’t need to put you totally under for this since its just observation, if everything is good I can snap your plating back into place and monitor you with scans.” Rodimus still hadn’t left at this point, Ratchet gave him a stern ‘Ratchet do what I say glare‘ and the fiery mech relented, exiting the room With a huff a promise to return and a wave to his friend. 

Ratchet first injected what was needed to numb his chest and stomach to preform the procedure, He then took the time to carefully remove the bandages then the medical mesh covering Drifts internal gears. Drift wasn’t able to move at the moment, but admitted repeatedly ‘How weird it felt’.

“Drift I know, but stop talking. I could put you all the way under again, but it will take a lot longer if I did.” The swordsmech relented with a huff and Ratchet gave him his thorough check over, finding no further complications. “Looks like it worked. I’ll have your plating brought back in, replace it right now and then we’ll just keep you here for observation.”

“Good.”

“And further joint treatments.”

“Slaggit.” He hated all those injections.

“If you had just...”

“I GET IT! Slag Ratchet I get it! But I can’t change it now!” The pout is back now, coupled with irritated grumbling. He’d fold his arms across his chest if he were able.  
Ratchet just rolled his optics at the kid.

“Alright I’ll stop nagging you about it, for now. Don’t try to move around.” Turning away to send an internal comm to have Drifts plating brought in, cleaned and disinfected. 

“Uhg what is that smell?” Drift wrinkled his nose as the cart with his plating came in. 

“Astringent. We had to be positive it was clean and free of any virus or bacteria.”

“Why? It’s not like we’re organic, why do we need to worry about bacteria.”

“You do, Bacteria can still degrade fresh mesh and healing internal gears and organs that have had their protective coating removed for surgery and /haven’t grown back yet/. So yes, we do need to worry about bacteria.” Ratchet made a few preparations to Drift before retrieving the abdominal plating. “You’re going to need fresh paint, but not until AFTER you are out of the medbay for a week.” Drift glanced down as much as he could to see that most of the paint had been stripped.

“What? How? How does it look that bad? It didn’t look that bad!”

“It’s the cleanser. That and your plating was stuck, we had to use a prybar to remove it.”

“That was a joke! You told a joke! Wait, that was a joke right? You didn’t actually use a prybar on my plating did you?” Ratchet didn’t give him an answer, instead focussing on reattaching the plating at all the important connections. “Ratchet?” There might be a tiny smile on his face, but Drift can’t tell at this angle. 

“There, all back together. I’ll reverse the numbing agent for now, you’ll regain feeling quickly enough. You’re still going to be on some pain management however and in a few hours I’ll come to give you the joint injections.”

Drift groans. 

“I’ll also inform Rodimus he can return as well. Don’t move now.”

“Hey! That was another joke! I knew you were joking. Right?” Ratchet gave him the tiniest of almost smiles and walked out. “Right??” A final shout he wouldn’t receive an answer to.  
Before Drift could even begin to start feeling the parts of his body Ratchet had numbed out Rodimus rushed back into his room. “ So now you’re all put back together? One step closer to getting the frag outta here huh?”

“Yeah, at least the surgery is over and I can get off the bypass. I think he’d let me out of here if he trusted me to return for the injections.”

“The joint things? Are they really that bad?”

“Honestly? Yeah the shots suck a lot. But my joints did feel like someone filled them with gravel. So I get it. I just really hate the treatment to fix them. I mean every other day its either a shot in both shoulders, elbows, knees, ankles and hips as well as other pivot points, or a couple dozen in the joints of my hands and wrists.”

Rodimus visible winced. “No wonder you hate them, especially that many shots. I’d hate to be in your pedes man. But if you’d just...”

“No! No Rodimus I don’t need an I told you so from you too! I get it! I should have been here a loooong time ago and I wouldn’t have had to be here so long.”

“Alright I’ll stop. Now lets talk about what we’re going to do once you’re out of here. Nothing crazy mind you, not gonna drag you to movie night or something, but drinks at least right? Then you and I go play a game in the rec room? We’ll find a nice quiet corner so no one interrupts us! What do you say?” Primus bless him he was trying. Drift had to appreciate that.

“Alright alright, something small okay. And maybe MAYBE we’ll invite someone to play with us. Alright? Will that make you happy Rodimus?”

“Yeah! I won’t drag you into the middle of a party or something I promise.”

“But it has to wait until after I’m out of the medbay.”

“We could start with taking the curtains away from your ‘room’ so you see more people you know.”

“Lets, not start with that.” He wasn’t ready yet. Smaller, very small. And hopefully, well away from Megatron. A thought occurred to him then. “Ratchet said before I went into surgery you had brought something, but then said it was for after I was out. What did you bring? Its not some kind of weird toy or highgrade is it? Im not allowed the highgrade til I’m out of here.”  
“Oh! Right! I have it here Drift. And no, its neither of those.” Pulling out a little cloth wrapped package with a poorly tied bow. “I’m not good with bows like this. I know Megatron came by while I was gone, and he told me some of the things he told you. I wanted to give you these.” Drift tugged at the ribbon, smiling at Rodimus as it came undone, then glancing at the items inside. A Rodimus star on top, totally expected, and his autobrand badge underneath. 

“He told me that technically your demotion and expulsion are void, so, I thought it was only fair to give you back your badge. And the Rodimus star is just, my apology, and proof of how happy I am that you’re back.”

Drifts smile turned sad, but never left as he ran his digits over them both.

“Now, I know I give the Rodimus star to everyone, but, this one is special. I had it engraved, and added extra stuff to make it pretty and special. Because, you deserve it.”   
Drift flipped it over reading the inscription. ‘To my friend, I was an idiot and I missed you. Sorry.’

“I uh.... couldn’t figure out what to write...” Rodimus admitted. 

“I love it Rodimus.” Holding it closer, turning his badge over and over in his other hand without looking at it.

“You want me to attach your badge?” Unsure where to go next with his conversation.

“No Rodimus, its alright. I’ll hold onto it for a while, I’m just, not sure if I’m ready to be back yet. 

“Right...” Rodimus stared at his feet a moment. “Drift, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let you take the blame. I’m so sorry Drift. Its all my fault...”

“Rodimus stop. It’s alright. I came to you remember? I knew what I was doing. I wanted you to continue the journey, its a good journey. I didn’t want people to lose faith in you. You’re too important. Far more important than I am.” Still running his digits over the Rodimus star, taking in every detail. 

“Drift! Don’t talk like you’re not important! We wouldn’t even be on this quest if it wasn’t for you and your faith in me!”

“And the ship I bought.” Optic ridge raising as he lifted his gaze finally to look at Rodimus again.

“Yeah... that definitely helps. But I wouldn’t have been able to get any of this ready without you. This is as much your quest as mine, and I’m glad we’re taking it together again. You’re my best friend. Its true! No one else has faith in me like you do! Everyone else looks at me like a failure. You’re the only one who looks at me like... like you believe in me, and are happy to see me.”

“Well, I am, I’m always happy to see you. You are never derogatory to me, never treat me like an outcast, like a criminal ready to stab you in the back at any moment. You have faith in me, so I have faith in you. I mean, Ratchet believes in me too I guess. Except he always talks down to me, as if he’s counting down until I mess up again.”

“We all mess up though don’t we?” Rodimus sighed heavily.

“Don’t I know it. Although we seem especially predisposed to it don’t we?”

“Ha! Yeah, that we do. Do you think we’ll ever not mess it all up all the time Drift?”

“Us? Nah. Maybe way in the future, but the time of us messing everything up repeatedly? We have years of that to look forward to.” The pair laughed, Drift shaking his helm. 

“Well I’m glad your laughing again Drift. I missed you laughing, a lot.”

“Yeah, I guess I missed it too. Hey I’ll be out of here in a week. Maybe we’ll just hang in your office and watch movies.”

“Sounds good Drift. Megtron has his on office so hopefully he’ll leave us the pits alone.”

“Uhhhg, I don’t want him walking in on us. It’s just going to spark another fight between us.”

“Yeeeaahh, I don’t want you guys to be at odds, I want you to be our third again. And if you two hate each other, I’m not sure how well its going to work.”

“Lets not get ahead of ourselves Rodimus, I’m not ready to come back yet, even if Megatron says the position is technically still mine.” Drift relaxed back against his berth again, venting deeply. The idea of taking a position of power drained him mentally. He was definitely not ready. He knew it, Megatron knew it. Ratchet knew it. Rodimus probably knew it too, but was more hopeful. “Hey do me a favor Rodimus, nest time you come by, bring me something good. Something not medical grade energon, this stuff is terrible.”

“Can do Drift!” Smiling at his friend, Rodimus then picked up one of Drift’s servos. “Drift, I don’t want to lose you you know? I want you to be healthy and I want to you stay on my ship. Don’t do anything reckless for a while buddy alright? I don’t think I could lose you again.”

“Heh, Geeze Rodimus, can you get any sappier?” He enjoyed the sentiment though. But Teasing Rodimus about it was just what the mech would expect. 

“Hey! Its a spark felt expression of concern you jerk!” Slapping at his shoulder.

“Ooooo well I’m soooo soooorry then.” Followed by en exaggerated ‘Ooowww you huurt meeeee.’

“Oh shut up Drift, Or I’ll really hurt you! It’ll be easy since your a gimp right now!”

“Noooo ohhh what will I doooo? Betrayed! Betrayer! Oh I am wounded! Stabbed in the back by my Best friend? Woe is meeee!”

“Mwahahaaaa! I m the mastermind! I planned it aaaalll!” The two of the quickly falling into a loud reverberating laughing fit, which earned a visit from a scowling and very irritated Ratchet.

“Eheh heh uh um... We’ll stop... Sorry Ratchet...Hehhhh...” Drift tried to apologize to the medic. Ratchet just glared and backed out of the room, leaving the idiots still smiling at each other, and stifling little chuckles. 

“Alright Drift, I think its time I got back to work and let you rest. See you tomorrow, with Treats! if Ratchet doesn’t catch me that is.”

“Good idea Rodimus, and thanks. And thanks, for everything.” Sighing once deeply. “And thank Megatron for me too, I mean, we did get in a fight, but, he was trying to help me... I think... Anyway, it would at least be polite to send him a thank you.”

“Sure buddy, I guess it would be. Gonna be awkward as slag though.”

“I don’t envy you Rodimus. Good luck!”

“See ya! Don’t I dunno, roll out of bed and make it worse or anything!”

“Oh just go away!” Chucking an empty cube at Rodimus who gave a fake shriek and ran away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **I swear its eventually gonna have megadrift but Rodimus and Drifts friendship is also important. So just, enjoy these idiots for a while!  
>  *Someone asked if I would separate the paragraphs so I did, but since this one is dialog heavy it means a loooot of spaces!


	5. Finally freeeee!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drift is finally free of the medbay, And Rodimus wants to celebrate. He might want to celebrate a bit more than drift however...

Drift was ever the impatient patient. Even trying to sneak out before his injections, which earned him a tether to his medberth again. That in turned earned him a laughing fit from Rodimus on his next visit. A few tossed objects and a half flipped medberth later, the two got another angry scowl with bonus lecture from Ratchet, leading him to BAN Rodimus from visiting Drift until he could behave like a ‘mature adult’. Rodimus however just snuck in when Ratchet was off duty, bringing all the treats that Drift wasn’t allowed to have as well. All was forgiven quickly. Finally after catching Rodimus sleeping on the chair in Drifts room Ratchet finally gave up. 

“Fine you two idiots! Drift can leave the medbay if you’re gonna keep doing this. We don’t need you disrupting the other patients!” First Aid tried to stifle a laugh, failed and quickly hurried away to keep out of Ratchet wrath himself. 

“Rodimus!” Ratchet snapped, Rodimus quickly turning his attention to the Medic. “You are going to make sure Drift keeps coming here, every, day, to get his injections, got it? Don’t let him skip a day or I will hunt the two of you down weld him to a wall and make him get them.”

“Fine! Fine Ratchet I’ll make sure he comes for his injections. He’s only got like two days right?”

“Two days for all of them, but a few more weeks of the large joint injections.” Drift groans. “Quiet kid! You got yourself into this and I’m trying to get you out of it. Besides after you’re done with the majority of them your only need them every few days.”

“Oh well that is so much better.” Only half sarcasm. “Can you unchain me then if you’re letting me leave?” 

“In a bit. Have to file discharge procedures or Magnus will be up my aft about paperwork. Look, sit tight, It wont be too much longer and then you can leave Drift.” Earning another little groan from Drift, which Ratchet quickly quashed with a glare. 

Rodimus went back to teasing Drift about being tied up to the berth while Ratchet left to take care of the paperwork. Drift ended up chucking more random items at Rodimus while he was teasing him, annoying the scrap out of everyone around them. 

“Oh come on Drift you couldn’t hold off for a few minutes? Really?” Grumbling loudly Ratchet firstly unlocked Drift’s cuffs. “Just, get out you two...” Covering his face with his hand. “I can finish the rest of the papers without you here. Just leave before I call Ultra Magnus. And remember to come back for your shots! I WILL hunt you down if you don’t!” Rodimus was already dragging Drift out of the medbay at that point, leaving a exasperated Ratchet in their wake. 

Rodimus dragged Drift through the halls too quickly to interact with anyone strait to his private office. Drift didn’t protest much, focusing on his friends excitement. Door shut behind them Rodimus released Drift’s wrist and vented a sigh of release. “Well you’re finally out of the medbay! Lets drink to celebrate! I snuck a bottle of Highgrade into my office. It’s not fancy but its nice.” 

Drift shook his helm with a smile, he should protest but Rodimus wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Alright buddy, poor me a drink, but uh, just one. I don’t wanna get too charged strait from the medbay, Ratchet would kill me.” Waiting for his friend and captain to pour him a much too full glass. “Really?”

“Hey! We have to celebrate your escape from the medbay, you have to at least get a buzz! Or what fun is drinking.”

“Fine fine Rodimus, I am not getting slagging drunk though. Okay? I mean it!” Taking the glass form Rodimus he took a sip. The highgrade was pleasantly flavored, and it was refreshing to finally have a drink after so long. Rodimus just smiled at him. “Okay its good, I’m still not getting overcharged with you.”

“We’ll see~” Rodimus knocked half his glass back, but Drift was determined to stay sober. “So Mr. I’m gonna disappear and make a medic chase after me only to come back and stubbornly not seek treatment until I’m practically falling apart, what should we do now that you’re actually moving around?”

“Standing here and avoiding other people works for me.”

“Well of course, but you know you’re going to have to stop hiding in your room right? There is no way Ratchet and I will let you do that.”

“Yeah yeah. Baby steps. I’m in your office now right?”

“Yes and lets drink to that!” Taking another big gulp, Drift instead took a small sip. ”C’mon You’re no fun!”

“Hey I said...”

“Yeah yeah alright geeze.” Venting hard. Drift was really being stubborn wasn’t he? Well no stopping him from getting overcharged now was there? Rodimus finished off his drink and poured another, Drift continued to nurse his first. “Still we should do something fun! Maybe movies in my office? I have a projection screen! Or um, We could race...?” Brain trying to come up with ideas Drift would agree to, and realizing most of his ideas were not the greatest. “Okay, I realize there is really no where we can race on this ship, but I mean, uuhh.”

Drift shouldn’t help but smile. Bless him he was trying. “Rodimus, I appreciate it, but, lets just start with hanging out. I miss it.”

“Sure sure.” Finishing off over half of his second glass. “Wanna see my new laser doodles in my desk?”

“Sure, but maybe you should slow down? You’re gonna regret it if you don’t.” Setting his own drink down. 

“Ohhh shuush, come here I’ll show you the spike I drew on the underside.” Already pulling out his chair and shimmying under. 

Drift gave him a big smile and a why not shrug, and joined him under his desk. “Yeah thats a spike alright. A detailed one, Who’s spike did you draw.” Rodimus giggled.

“Not telling!” Pointing out other crude drawings when the door swooshed open.

“Rodimus? Are you hiding under your desk to avoid doing work again?” Megatrons voice cut through the air, making Rodimus startle and smack his helm on the desk. Drift couldn’t stop himself from laughing, while he tried to escape Rodimus’s desperate flailing. Drift happened to be laying on his spoiler to fit under the desk, and war repeatedly smacked with it as they both tried to get out from under the desk, the whole time Drift still laughing. 

“What in the slag is going on back there?” The disgruntled grey mech stared over the desk as the two freed themselves. “Do I want to know?”  
“I was just, uh, showing Drift something.” Megatron rolled his optics at Rodimus’s explanation. “What are you even doing in my office anyway?”

“Paperwork! You should be doing it! Look at this pile from Ultra Magnus, you haven’t even started it!” He glanced at Drift, giving him a quick scan. “Hello Drift.” And went back to berating Rodimus about not doing work.

Drift felt, oddly calm, despite Megatron’s presence. The fear from seeing him in Swerves was gone, along with most of the paranoia. Drift wondered briefly if his poor health had contributed to it. The anger he had from being confronted in the medbay had also dulled to mere annoyance. Megatron had showed no real hostility towards Drift, and he thought about what he’d been told. Megatron had been trying to be a good mech to the crew. He was a good captain, and people actually liked him. It had been one of his frequent thoughts while trapped in the medbay. The least he could do, is try to treat the mech the same. 

“Fiiiine you sound like a mom or something Megatron. I’ll get to it after Drift and I celebrate him being out of the medbay alright?”

Drift snapped out of his train of thought as Megatron turned back to him. “Are you done with your treatments Drift?”

“Oh, not yet. I still have a few more shots, but Ratchet could tell I was getting restless and let me leave.”

“More like he kicked us both out for shenanigans.”

“Your fault you know.”

“Yeah right! You’re the one who was chucking things!” Rodimus retrieving his glass and finishing what was left.

“You started it!”

A grumble from Megatron distracted them both. 

“So Ratchet isn’t looking for you then?”

“Only if I don’t get my shots.”

“Then you had best get them when needed.” Turning back to Rodimus. “Do your work, it needs to be done by tomorrow.” Nodding to Drift and leaving without much to do. 

“Well that was interesting. He do that often Rodimus?”

“Yeah all the time. I need a lock on the door.” Pouring his third drink.   
“Seriously?” Rodimus was determined to make a fool of himself, it was already showing. “You know those two will just make your life hell if you’re hung over tomorrow.”

“Hey thats tomorrow not today!” Downing the whole thing in one go, then shaking off the burn. Drift rolled his optics and poured out his drink, Rodimus was going to need a baby sitter. “Heeeey dont pour it out you could have given it to me!”

“Like you need more. Give it five minute and you’ll be singing bad earth pop songs.”

“Will not!” 10 minutes later... and he belting out “call me maybe” and Drift is trying to keep him from doing it over comms. 

“What is this racket?” Megatron returned, irritation carve deeply in his expression on the urge of shouting. He sees Drift holding the inebriated young captain away from the comms. 

“Hi again. Uh, a little help? I’d rather keep him from making a fool of himself ship wide.”

Megatron sighs. “He’s done enough of that already. Alright what do you want to do with him.”

“Berth, just, I want to get him to sleep. I don’t know why but since I didn’t want to get overcharged he felt like getting there for both of us... Just help me carry him.” 

A low loud sigh left the former ‘Con, lifting a hand in disbelief and dropping it back to his side in defeat. “Alright alright, just hold on.” Stepping over the datapads that they managed to knock over while Drift prevented Rodimus from reaching the comms. Rodimus started trying to kick the big mech, which only made it easier to grab his pedes and lift him off the floor. 

“C’mon Rodimus time for sleep!” Drift encouraged, deftly avoiding him grabbing the bottle off the desk. 

“No no I don’t wanna! I gotta finish my song first! Gotta finish it.” Kicking hard in Megatron’s grip, earning a grumble. 

“Kid knock this slag off! You are making a fool of yourself! Now it is time for sleep!”

Rodimus’s retort, as loudly and sarcastically as he could. “I DON’T WANT TO! _MOM!_ ” Adding another kick for good measure. One that connected with the big grey chest.

“Sunova... you slagging little brat!”

“He’s just drunk Megatron, Set him on the berth, I’ll get that blanket of his out and tuck him in, he’ll be out in a klik.” Once Drift had most of Rodimus on the surface of the bed Megatron dropped Rodimus’s feet on with a thud, earning a grunt from the red mech. Drift quickly grabbed the blanket and rapped it tightly around Rodimus, who, as he predicted calmed down. Mumbling half the words tot he song one last time he rolled over and fell asleep.

“Well, that was an adventure... Thank you, for helping me with him.”

“You’re welcome.” Staring at the now sleeping Rodimus. “How did you know about the blanket trick with him? That would have come in handy a few times.”

“Really? How often was he getting charged like that.”

“More than he should. I’ve been keeping it away from the crew though.”

“Really? I thought that... honestly I thought you’d be happy about him making an aft of himself...”

“It doesn’t help the crew to lose faith in its captain, silly as he is or not. He... means well.” Megatron turned, walking out of Rodimus’s office sleeping quarters.

Drift was a step or two behind him, there was that himt of the mech he knew from so long ago. A mech that gave a damn about others, not just an agenda. “Thanks, again Megatron. he might not appreciate your discretion but I do.”

Megatron glance back over his shoulder. “Your welcome, but maybe you should stay, make sure he doesn’t wake up and do something stupid.”

“Right. Will do. I’ve had enough sleeping in the medbay to last a while. See you later I guess?”

“Certainly.” Giving the swords mech one last nod and leaving the room. Drift now stood alone again, with a snoozing best friend and no one around. 

“Well might as well do something productive.” Drift began to clean up the mess. At least he felt like he was being useful now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha! Finally getting to Drift and Megs! Told you I was working on it!


	6. Past Emotions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drift realizes he needs to get his scrap together, and tries to clean up his act. But someone shows up and tries to drag him back into his past.

Bored while babysitting his far too charged friend Drift eventually busies himself with Rodimus’s overdue paperwork. He’d done it many times before, Rodimus always heaped his work on Drift. Though he’d gotten a lot of practice with it and was able to finish it quickly. Still bored and antsy from being in the medbay so long the rest of the time he spent cleaning up Rodimus’s office. Knowing his friend was about to get his aft chewed by Ultra Magnus for getting drunk, at least his office would be clean and he’d avoid another lecture. Morning found him dozing on the couch in Rodimus’s office, awoken by the sound of the door opening.  
“Still here Drift? I thought by now you’d have went back to your own quarters.” Drift startled slightly, surprisingly, or maybe not so much, It was Megatron. Drift had expected differently. 

Rubbing the sleep from his optics and willing himself awake further he stood, stretching his arms above him and barely meeting the others gaze for a moment before turning his attention away.

“You were busy last night it seems, unless Rodimus suddenly decided to do his work in a drunken haze?”

Drift snorted. “I was bored, restless, I had to do something and it wasn’t going to be sleep. Besides I’m used to doing his work, took me back to before.” A tinge of sadness and longing in his voice as he spoke, looking over the pile of work on Rodimus’s desk. 

“Passed his work off to you? Why doesn’t that surprise me.”

“Hey I’m surprisingly good at paperwork. Magnus passed some of his on occasion off to me before too. He will never admit it though. Never.”

For a few moments there was nothing more than a low hum of electronics before Megatron spoke again. “I take it he is still asleep then.”

“Uh? Yeah I guess, I dozed off the myself eventually. If he’d woken up he’d either have tossed his blanket over me or draped himself on me and whined, demanding some form of attention.” Drift didn’t see it, but the thought of Rodimus making a fool of himself in such a manner made the co-captain smile, only briefly. 

“Well I suppose you are relived of babysitting duty, you may return to your own quarters if you’d like.” Drift stopped, now looking sheepishly at the floor. How was he supposed to admit he didn’t want to leave? Or that the reason was he was afraid to run into others on the ship? It was odd enough to be sharing space with Megatron without panicking. Maybe he was in denial? Or maybe it was just that Megatron was bing so damned _professional_ about it. Megatron sensed his hesitation. “If you do not wish to leave there is nothing forcing you. However if you want back to your quarters take the long way, I rarely see people on that route.” Megatron was checking over Drifts work on the datapads now, not looking directly at Drift. 

“Oh, Thank you.” Drift glanced to Megatron, who was still looking down at the datapads. “I’ll see you uh, later? Rodimus should wake up in like, two hours. Soooo, good luck with that.”

“Have a good day Drift.” Turning to head out the door his own office. Drift watch him disappear into his own office, glanced around for people present, before turning his attention to the back room. Slight rustling was heard. “I’ll check on him tonight.” Then Drift was out, taking a quick pace to his room.  
Helm down, he passed a few of mechs but made no attempt to speak to any of them. Two seemed to be surprised to see him, and one was oblivious, but he managed to get back to his room quickly and without interacting with anybody. The familiar swish and click of the door, he finally released a hard vent. Alone again. Finally.

His room was a _mess_.

“Pits, I didn’t realize it was so bad.” He knew no one had been in his room, only a few people knew the code and none of them would go in and mess with his things. This was _his_ mess. Empty cubes piled in the corner, sticky and stale smelling. His broken chairs. Both of them had been tossed in frustration more than once durning his self imprisonment. Table covered in clutter and other types of dirt. The collection of earth entertainment he normally kept neatly organized a dusty neglected mess. Berth cold and unappealing, his padding damaged from blades stabbed into it. 

“No wonder they thought I was losing it. I _was_.” His time in the medbay, with frequent visitors, and proper nutrients finally getting through his taxed system helped clear his mind. Clear now just why his friends, few as they may be here, were so eager to get him out of his dirty little space. “Man, I’m not sure if I should apologize or thank them. Both probably.” A deep vent in what was to be a sigh only resulted in a disgusted huff. “Uhhgg My room stinks! Why does my room stink?” Disgusted Drift set about to fix his mess. He might not be ready to talk to people but he was ready to stop wallowing in self pity, or at least as much self pity. “First the trash, I have to get this vile smelling junk out of here!” Grabbing an old box he used for storage and tipping it out on the bed, with the intent of returning its contents, he used it as a trash can. Dumping every various bit of junk and garbage he could locate into it, and making his way to the closest garbage chute repeatedly to empty its contents. 

This cleaning spree continued for the entire day. After removing every scrap of refuse Drift made a quick dash to a supply hub to retrieve cleaning supplies and scrubbed his room from top to bottom, desperately trying to get rid of the funk that built up. Eventually satisfied for how clean it was he set about organizing from top to bottom. Collection tidied up, chairs and bed where it belonged, making a not to get a replacement pad for his berth. The last thing he worked on was repairing the damages he was able to, or hiding the ones he couldn’t. A well placed picture or scroll hid gashes and holes in the wall. The chairs mostly needed some connections tightened and anything else that was minor enough he could ignore until a later date. 

Hours after he started Drift flopped back exhausted in one of his freshly fixed chairs. “There, done. It’s no ‘Ultra Magnus’ perfection, but its good enough for me.” Closing his optics and allowing his helm to rest against the chair back. 

What felt like moments later Drift opened his optics again. However judging by how stiff he felt, he guessed he must have passed out in the chair for several hours. “Guess I was more tired than I thought.” Stretching out his stiff arms above his helm as he stood up. Head swiveled about to take in his earlier work, it hadn’t been this clean in his quarters in Primus knew how long. Some of he cleaning stuff was still sitting in a neat pile by his door. “I should get that back to the supply hub, someone is probably looking for some of this. Or not. Don’t care, I don’t want it in here.” Having been alone so long Drift had grown rather accustom to speaking to himself, something he didn’t even think of as he gathered up the cleaning stuff. By now it was late, most mech were in their quarters or at Swerves for a late night drink. Feeling relatively safe Drift didn’t even check out his door before opening it to return the supplies he borrowed. 

However the mech made it about two steps outside his door before walking into something, or rather someone, spilling all of his supplies. Evening lighting was on in the hall and he didn’t even realize who he’d walked into as he apologized, while trying to pick up the cleaning things.

“So that is what you have been doing all day.” That familiar deep voice of his former commander once more rang in his audials. For now, he abandoned them to glance up at the big mech. What was he following him now? Why was he here? Why now?

“Megatron! Pits you scared me! I wasn’t expecting anyone out in the hall, much less you.” Trying to wipe floral scented cleanser off his own chest armor. 

“Then you are getting soft aren’t you Deadlock. You’d never blindly run into anyone before.” Optics snapped back and locked on Megatrons face, anger boiled a moment, before he recognized the old mechs expression. He knew this one well. 

“You were at Swerves just before here weren’t you?” Megatron sported mirth filled smirk on his face at the sight of his former subordinate. “Its Drift, Megatron. _Drift_. I haven’t been Deadlock in a long time. 

“Right right, Sorry. _Drift._ ” 

Drift rolled his optics. “Rodimus was already charged up last night, and you’re doing it now? Do you think its a good idea to have two overcharged captains?”

“Dea..., I mean Drift, now, you know I can hold my highgrade far better than Rodimus can. I function far better than he does even when I’m overcharged. Besides, he sobered up hours ago. After seeing how much work you did for him he felt guilty and is actually doing his _own_. Stunning, really. So I decided I’d take a night off instead.” Still sporting that same smirk. From experience Drift knew Megatron wasn’t terrible overcharged at the moment. Just enough to relax a little but if necessary, should there be an emergency, could snap back to being in complete control in an instant. Right now however, he just happened to be teasing.

“Alright fine, I buy that. But why are you here? Outside my quarters?”

“I wanted to see how you were doing. You did just get out of the medbay yesterday. I was concerned you might hole up in your quarters like before and never emerge again. However, judging by all this,” Peaking over his shoulder now “and your room, it seems my worries were for naught.”

“Yeah I’ve been, tidying up.” Megatron pushed past Drift to inspect his room, to which Drift rolled his optics again, but allowed. Abandoning the rest of the supplies in the hall. 

“You’ve done a nice job, It might even pass inspection from Ultra Magnus.” Megatron spots a hole in the wall. “Or maybe not. Best keep him away until that is fixed.”

Drift sighed at him. “Are you done?” Drift sounded impatient, tapping his digits on his arm. 

Megatron fixated on Drift’s tapping digit, noticing that he had indeed, left the reemerging claws alone. “Its good to see those back the way the should be you know.” Drift stopped tapping when he realized what Megatron had been talking about. His clawed digits. Already so used to them, like falling back into an old habit, he’d forgotten entirely that his claws and fangs had grown back in that short amount of time. 

“Yeah well, as soon as I get my files back they are going away... I don’t care _what_ Ratchet says.” Drifts gaze had shifted towards the floor, and away, so he missed Megatron take a step closer before picking up the mechs hand. Startled Drift took a half step back, but Megatron held fast to his hand. Firm enough to keep him from breaking free easily, but gentle enough not to harm him. “What...?”

Megatron ran his thumb over one of Drifts claw tips, while Drift stoop motionless and confused. “They really are beautiful you know. Always loved them. Loved how they looked, how wonderfully sharp you always kept them. You always took so much pride in your natural set. There are mechs that would kill to have natural ones you know.” Megatron’s larger hand kept Drifts still while he admired the claws further. 

Drift stood wordlessly, not afraid, or even nervous. There was no need, the big mech was only reminiscing on times long since passed. Still he watched Megatron’s thumb smooth over his hand repeatedly, until he finally let go, only to tentatively place his hand on the side of Drift’s face. 

For a brief moment he was unsure of what to do. “I haven’t filed them yet either Megatron, but, I can’t keep them. Not on this ship.” Megatron was still quiet for a moment, before asking softly.

“May I see? Before you get rid of them, may I see them again?” His voice soft and gentle, a side few had seen of this terrifying mech. Drift had been one of the lucky few all those years ago. He’d known the great tyrant at his most vulnerable. And now echoes those times so vividly. 

Without word, Drift opened his mouth, just enough to show the tips of his longest fangs on his upper jaw, and a hint view of the lower fangs. Megatron wasn’t totally satisfied with that, pushing his lip back to reveal the smaller set as well. “Beautiful, Drift.”

Drift was convinced Megatron was more overcharged than he originally appeared, and placed his hand on Megatron’s wrist. “Is that enough? You can go back to...” Megatron’s face was much closer now. “You... should go... go back to your quarters. It’s late I’m sure your...” Any semblance of words he might have formed after that were cut off by the Tyrants lips pressed to the swordsmech.

Drift knew he should push him away. This wasn’t like before. This shouldn’t be happening. They shouldn’t be here at this point right now. Two weeks ago he was terrified of being seen _near_ this mech. 

But he couldn’t. Old memories, old moments, old feeling long discarded fluttered back into place. Drift’s optics slid closed, and he was lost in a moment. The rest of the world slid away again and it was just them. Lips worked a familiar kiss, hands came to rest in favored places, and for just a few moments, he enjoyed it. He remembered what they were once. All at once his sense came back though, optics snapping open as he took a step back, breaking their kiss.

“You have to go Megatron. Just, you have to go now. Please leave.” Turning his back on him. 

“Drift...”

“We can’t...” Sighing sadly. “Good night Megatron. I’ll clean up the supplies tomorrow. I really need some rest.”

Megatron, equally unsure of what just happened simply nodded to Drift. “Good night, Drift. Rest well...” Glancing one more time back at Drift as he left the room. “Please, consider, keeping them. For your sake...”

“Goodnight.” Drift’s back still turned. The door slid closed and he could hear the pedefalls of Megatron leaving. Once he was engulfed in the silence of his empty room, he collapsed on his berth. 

“What, just, happened?”  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yaaaay! Finally! Smooches! I'm as excited as you guys are!


	7. Memories interuptus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just as Drift is remembering more interesting and fun parts of his past with his former commander, he is rudely interrupted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys its short and I'm struggling. This little silliness might be all you get for a while.

Drift didn’t do much ‘resting’. More like he laid across his berth with his optics closed, mind wandering constantly despite how much he tried to push the thoughts away. A racket followed by cursing snapped him out of his half sleep, realizing all the cleaning stuff was littering the hall. At that point he quickly got up and dragged the supplies in his room on the heels of a drunk mech grumbling down the hallway. Any chance of actually sleeping were washed away, Drift flopping into a chair, wide awake yet too tired to do anything else. 

He continued to try and fail to chase away unwanted thoughts and memories. His time as a Decepticon was something he avoided thinking about since coming aboard the Lost Light. But now, after _that_ it was all he could think of. Finally he let himself dwell on those old memories, optics sliding shut to see his memories more clearly.

It started with specific moments between the warlord and himself. From almost the day he came aboard as a Decepticon and received a new designation, Megatron courted him. Subtle at first, so much so the oblivious young mech had no idea it was happening. He just thought the great leader of the ‘Cons was friendlier then everyone expected. It wasn’t until months later an inebriated Megatron cornered the young mech in the hall, and very blatantly told him he was ‘beautiful’ before smooching his hand and wandering off.

The baffled young con only gawped for a few moments, before quickly shuffling back to his quarters. Drift, then Deadlock, ended up spending the next several hours laying in his berth staring at the ceiling, figuring out what happened. And trying to figure out if he could replicate it.

Following the events, he’d find the days their dear captain decided to imbibe in some highgrade, placing himself in his path passively. Other than getting a couple of glances, and one tiny smile, he was unable to get the same result. Frustrated the last time it failed he picked a route back on a quiet hallway, too distracted by his failure to notice heavy pedefalls at first. Quick to defend his back, when he did notice he swung around, blaster in hand ready to strike out at whoever was sneaking up on him, only to find the captain himself had tailed him. 

“C- captain?! Sir!?”

“Hmmm boy, you’ve been waiting for me.”

“I, uh, no sir, it was uh just coincidence...” Megatron stopped further conversation and stammering with a rough demanding kiss, claiming the young mechs attention. Deadlock could taste the drink on his captain’s lips and glossa, sweeter than he’d imagined. Just as he was relaxing into it Megatron broke their kiss with a grin. 

“Boy, you needn't sneak about outside the tavern to get my attention. Clearly we share a mutual desire for one another’s company. Of course we still need it to be a secret, but let me come up with how to do that hmm?” Kissing alongside the edge of his mouth. “See you again soon my cute little mech.” Sauntering off once more leaving a confused, and /frustrated/ Deadlock alone in the hall.

The next day it was like it didn’t happen. Fully sober Megatron was entirely cool and level headed. No weird awkward flirting, no wink. There wasn’t even the slightest change in how he commanded his ship or the mechs around him. Deadlock shrugged it off, continued his work as normal, and taking his cue from his captain, didn’t acknowledge it in any form. To the point a few weeks later he’d managed to put it out of his mind entirely. Clearly their leader had just been toying with him in a haze, likely did the same to other attractive mechs on the ship even. He’d had his moment, which he’d smile at when he was alone, but that was all. Or so he thought. 

After weeks of ‘the same ol routine’ he once more found himself being pursued in the dark by a menacing figure. And once more, an inebriated captain cornered him, kissing him and so much more. Wandering hands left the mech hot and bothered but not anywhere near satisfied as Megatron once again left his alone, confused and dazed in the dark. 

And so /frustrated!/ Infuriatingly so! The next couple weeks were and echo of the previous one, no change in behavior. The cycle repeated, several times, a few weeks of nothing then cornered by Megatron, always impaired with highgrade. They play grabaft for a few quick moments, a kiss here a nip there, hands in inappropriate places. Panels firmly shut, only to end in a smug Megatron sauntering off and Deadlock to shuffle off awkwardly to his quarters to finish himself off. 

Eventually after this happened a half dozen more times Deadlock finally confronted his dear inebriated captain before he could get too far. 

“Stop! What, what is this even? What are we doing? Do you do this to any other mech?” Megatron was slightly stunned by being shouted out, before grinning.

“Whats the matter? Not enjoying yourself? I’ll leave you alone then if that is how you feel~”

“No! Uh no, I don’t want you to stop, I just, want to know what this is. Are there others?” His questioning voice near meek, before he cleared his vocador. 

Denta filled smug smile glistened in the dim lighting. _How cute_. “No, there are no others. And I thought this was just fun? But perhaps its not enough anymore.” Arms sliding around the mechs lower back, forcing him to rest his hands on the bigger mechs chest. “Well if we wanted to do more, this hallway will not be appropriate.” 

Deadlock once more clearing his vocador, determined not to sound meek again. “Lead the way lord Megatron.”

“ _Megatron_. When we are alone, there is no need for lords.” Releasing his subordinate. “Step quickly, if you can’t keep up with me now there is no way you’ll be able to keep up with me _later_.” Turning his back and making a blistering pace towards the back of the ship where cargo was stored. The young mech following after his leader as quickly as his speedster pedes could keep up. Really it was surprising, or maybe not, how quickly the Decepticon leader could move.  
\---

A mech stumbling onto his face and a loud shout rousted Drift from his remembering. “Damn, And I was just getting to the good part!” A smile on his face. This time it wasn’t his fault, some idiot tripped over his own pedes. “My hallway seems to be popular tonight.” Glancing at his clock. “Oh, make that morning. When did it turn morning?” Groaning as he stood from his chair, metal creaking from his awkward position. He could still barely taste Megatron on his lips, or maybe he was just thinking he could. Drift had certainly had enough experience with them to remember. 

Experience had also taught him that Megatron would be unaffected by the prior night. No one would know about the kiss, he wouldn’t mention it, business as usual. And this was preferable. 

Now that people were starting to get up he knew he didn’t have much time to return the supplies to the supplies storage without running into a ton of people. Quickly he gathered the items, scattered messily on his freshly cleaned floor, before peeking outside. After finding the hall clear he made a quick dash towards the cleaning closet, rounding the corner in time to nearly trample Tailgate. 

“Owww!!” The poor minibot took a handle to the forehead. 

“Pits! Sorry about that Tailgate. You alright?” Juggling them around again, then making sure Cyclonus wasn’t also near by. 

“Yeah, I’m fine Drift. Geeze I haven’t seen you in forever! Like I knew you came back but you’re never around! What gives?”

“I, haven’t really been ready to be around people. I’m trying though, hence the cleaning.”

“Oh, I was wondering about that. Want help putting stuff away?” Holding out tiny hands. 

“Sure Tailgate.” Drift offered the mop and broom to Tailgate, who took them and turned to walk with the bigger mech. “I really am sorry about running into you.” Once more glancing around to make sure Cyclonus or anyone else for that matter, wasn’t close. It seems for once, the little mech was alone. 

“It’s okay Drift! You couldn’t see over the stuff! It’s not like I even got a dent or anything. I’m totally fine!” Though it wasn’t visible, Drift could still _feel_ the minibot smiling. 

“Alright then. I think it was this closet...” Swinging open the door and piles of cleaning supplies falling on them and across the floor. “What the slag!? I did NOT leave it like that!”

“Well now what?” Murmuring was heard down the hall, and pede falls as someone approached.

“Just, uh, just shove it in and I’ll see if I can get the door shut!” Tossing his armful and scooping up the rest on the floor as Tailgate desperately pushed the broom and mop as well. “Okay, on the count of three, shove it really hard then back up and I’ll close it!”

“If you say so...” Kicking something with his little pede.

“Alright, One... Two... Three!” The two shoving them one last time, before stepping back and slamming the door shut, just in time to attempt to look inconspicuous as a crewmate walked by, noting the odd pair a moment, and continuing. 

“Ha! I can’t believe that worked Drift!”

“Yeah me too... If anyone asked it wasn’t us.”

“Agreed.” Tailgate cringing as he heard something shift and creak. “But lets get out of hear before someone discovers it.”

“Good idea. Where were you headed Tailgate.”

“I was going to meet with Cyclonus, he wanted to teach me something new.”

“Alright then, see you later.” Wanting NO part of that.

“Don’t you wanna go with me? You haven’t been seen much, people are wondering about you. Glad your okay though!” Again with the /feel/ of a smile.

“Yeah I’m not ready for that. Especially since its Cyclonus, we... don’t get along super great...”

“Because you threatened him when he first came aboard, then kicked your butt?”

Drift stared at him, rolling his optics and sighing. Of course he knew about that. “Yeah... that.” Still feeling like an idiot for that one. People used to be terrified of him, now he was a _joke_. “So excuse me for now. I’ll eventually be less reclusive, but I’m not ready yet. You have fun though Tailgate, and thanks for helping me with that stuff.”

“Alright Drift. If your interested some of the mechs that like to sing will be putting on a little concert later tonight, broadcast on one of our internal stations. You don’t have to come in person, but if you wanna listen at least you can! If this goes well we might have a ship wide talent contest!”

“Sure! Sounds like it might be fun. I’ll tune in, when is it?”

“Not until later, a lot later.” Digging out a little pamphlet. “Here’s some pamplets I was making and handing out to people! The station and the time is on it. If you do listen I’d like to know what you think!”

Drift took one of his hand made pamphlets, amused that the little mech had been so creative. Cyclonus had to be involved in the concert comehow for him to put this much effort into it. “Sure. See you later Tailgate. I’m going back to my room. Its clean but I have to fix a hole... Do NOT say anything to Magnus.”

“Out little secret.” Giving him a thumbs up in leu of a wink. “Later Drift!” Running on his way to meet up with Cyclonus.

Drift quickly ducked back into his room, smiling back outside the door towards the minibots direction. “Nice guy. I really hope he never loses that.” Shutting and locking his door, regarding the hole in his wall for all of a minute, before flopping back into his chair. “Well, now what do I do for the rest of the day?” 


	8. Best friends are idiots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rodimus gets Drift in trouble with Ratchet. They are idiot best friends and Rodimus talks too much.

Drift busied himself with *attempting* to fix the hole in his wall, eventually resorting to taping up a barely fitting poster from earth. Ultra Magnus hadn’t visited him since he was back other than a knock once, and before the times he’d been there had been short. Hopefully the big oaf wouldn’t notice.

As he finished up, or rather abandoned the rest of the cleaning he listened to the ‘concert’ Tailgate told him about, finding a few mechs more talented than he expected. Of course Cyclonus’s deep voice in old ballads stole the show, mostly. Tailgate himself was... cute at least, but most of the mechs on the ship were terrible, and likely drunk. It finally cut broadcast when it erupted into a dozen drunks singing a dozen versions of the same song loudly over the broadcast. Drift was laughing hysterically glad no one could hear him in his little world. 

As another day broke, Drift found himself, once again, passed out in his chair. But it wasn’t his own mind that stirred him this time. Instead it was the sound of two sets of pedfalls hastily making their way towards his room, while simultaneously arguing.

“I TOLD YOU HE NEEDED HIS INJECTIONS AND YOU BLATANTLY IGNORED ME! It was the ONE thing I tasked you with so he could leave the medbay!”

“I _forgot_ alright? I _am_ the captain! I have things to do!”

“Like get wasted the day my patient gets released and then proceed to pass out, leaving him, a currently very vulnerable mech, _alone_?

“It wasn’t that bad, he just stayed in my office and went back to his room when the coast was clear! Besides Tailgate said he seemed alright when he saw him yesterday! Maybe he doesn’t need them after all?”  
“Who’s the medic here? _I_ am! I will say when he doesn’t need them anymore!” Drift briefly considered diving for his berth and pretending to be asleep, but the pounding on his door came too quickly. “Drift! You’ve missed three days of injections! Get your aft tot he door and let us in or I will force the door open and drag you back to the medbay!”

“Primus slaggit hold on one minute old man!” Dragging himself out of his chair. If he was going to keep doing that he HAD to get a nicer one. Heavy tired steps carried him to the door, entering the code to allow the CMO and their flashier captain to enter his room. “Give a mech a moment to move. And did you have to be so loud? You woke me up!”

“You were late, you missed treatments that I told you, TOLD YOU, not to miss.”

“What’s the problem, I feel fine!” Mostly, he was a little sore, but he wasn’t about to admit to it.

“If you want to continue to feel fine you need to keep the joint treatments up! Honestly Drift you can’t allow yourself to backslide back into that, situation...” Ratchet finally looking at the room. 

It was Rodimus however that spoke next. “Pits Drift you’re room hasn’t been this clean in ages! You’ve really been working! Oh! This poster is new?” 

Drift stopped him before he touched it, at this point he’d probably poke right through it. “Yeah, I decided I really didn’t like the mess anymore, it was, depressing, it made me feel worse living in it. I had to do something and well, that was it.” 

Ratchets expression changed from anger to something that almost looked impressed, though not minus his still annoyed state. “Well I suppose its better than it was Drift, but you still need your medication.” Pulling out a bottle from his subspace. “For pain, Don’t tell me you aren’t having any.” Looking him square in the face. “As needed /only/, Drift.” Earning an eyeroll from the younger mech. “Now sit down, I have the injections you need with me.”

“How are you feeling anyway Drift.” Rodimus watched his friend as Drift sat on the end of his berth, holding out an arm for the doc to start with. 

“Tired mostly, been pretty busy the last few days, with all the cleaning.” He wasn’t about to mention the other things. “Glad to see you though. Less so for Ratchet, I was hoping he forgot.” Smiling, this time Ratchet rolling his optics and giving the bot a ‘Pheh’, as he made his first injection into Drifts elbow. “How’s it been, you know, around the ship?”

“Pretty much the same Drift. nothing too big has changed. Some people have noticed you are around more, know about you’re stay in the medbay, but there hasn’t been any crazy rumors.” Rodimus quick to assure his friend that he indeed was safe and no one was out to get him, at least not on their ship.

“Thanks Rodimus.” Drift stifled a wince as his hand was pulled closer for another injection into his wrist. Ratchet began flexing Drift’s fingers manually, judging their dexterity, but pausing on his claws. “Good to see these are still here, they’ve regrown well, no deformations.” The next thing Drift knew he had Ratchets thumb in his mouth, pulling down his jaw and the medic’s face right next to his own while illuminating his mouth. 

“Fangs are coming in nicely too, I’d say they have finished their regrowth, and also harbor no deformations. You know you are lucky, with all the times you’ve filed them they still grow back perfect and true.”

“Fanks watcheth?” Thumb still firmly holding his jaw in place as the lower fangs were inspected as well. After letting go of his mouth, Ratchet reclaimed his hand, retesting his fingers and finding the ones that needed the injections. 

However the whole time Rodimus had been snickering and grinning like an idiot.

“What Rodimus? You think the shots are funny?”

“No! Pits no, not what I’m laughing at.” Still snickering

“Then what is it? Ratchet shoving his digit in my mouth?” Well that didn’t sound wrong at all and totally didn’t make Rodimus snort loudly.

“Nono, well sort of, but not really. I was just kind thinking about something.” Ratchet was totally zoned out of the conversation, focussing solely on the task at hand.

“Then what is it? Whats so funny?”

“Well I was thinking... those would have been soooo interesting the last time you sucked my spike.”

Drift instantly began turning red. Ratchet, couldn’t completely stop his tiny snort.

“Rodimus! Pits don’t say that out loud!” 

But he wasn’t even listening. “Like how would it work you know? Would they get stuck on the ridges? or like, can you retract them? Can you secretly retract them Drift? No wait that doesn’t make sense then you wouldn’t file them. Ohhh What if you accidentally bit my spike? Oh man spike bleeding!” 

Drift progressively got redder, ripping his arm out of reach of Ratchet to grab Rodimus and start shoving him towards the door. 

“Oh oh! And man how interesting would it be when you ate out my valve! Those fangs all up on my nodes! Rubbing agains the folds! Oh and toys! Like what if you pulled out toys with your fangs? Or put them in! THAT sounds amazing!” Drift now desperatly shoving the flashiest of captains out into the hall. “We should try it sometime!”Drift gave him one last big shove as Rodimus laughed obnoxiously at him. Slamming the control panels ‘close’ button, the door wooshing closed with Rodimus locked on the other side. “JUST DON’T BITE MY NODE OFF!”

By now Drift’s face and finial tips were as red as the rest of his armor bits from both frustrations and humiliation. In such a rush to shove Rodimus outside he’d nearly forgotten Ratchet.

“If you two are done with your nonsense, you have more injections.” Calmly holding up another needle.

“But... I... just...” Gaping helplessly at Ratchet, who continued to stare sternly at him,

“Sit down Drift, the longer you stand there and balk the longer it’s going to take.” Pointing to the chair Drift had previously occupied. Defeated and with great reluctance Drift flopped into the chair, still burning bright from embarrassment. Ratchet picked up his hand again, injecting into the knuckled he’d left off at. “Though this does explain the marks on Rodimus’s neck that he has come into the medbay to have checked on, on numerous occasions.” If it was possible to be any redder Drift’s finials burned even brighter. Ratchet just smirked at him.

“Hey! Its not like, I mean we’re just friends, you know, having fun...” Desperate to defend what remained of his pride. 

Ratchet held up a servo. “You don’t need to explain it to me. You are two healthy, or at least you _were_ both healthy, consenting mechs. If you wanna find a dark corner and ‘face each others brains out that is none of my concern. I’m just concerned about any damage left in the aftermath. I don’t need to know how you got them. I can normally figure it out on my own.” Making another injection into a knuckle that needed it.

For the next several injections Drift was in silence, blushing and trying to ignore the shots. It made it one of the easiest sessions Ratchet had with him on record, other than the awkward fidgiting. He wanted nothing more than to not be stuck here with Ratchet after that. 

A loud hard vent rattled through the white frame as he tried desperately to calm himself down, despite Rodimus revealing their escapades to one of Drifts most respectable friends. _‘Speaking of Rodimus.’_

Drift turned his helm towards the door and took one more vent, speaking loudly towards his closed door. “You’re still outside my door aren’t you Rodimus?”

A moment of silence, before a muffled, but audible. “... No...” 

Drift rolled his optics. Knew it. “You sound funny, are you eating something?”

“... Ummm no...?” Still muffled, sounding oddly. 

_“Rodimus!”_

“Fine! I brought snacks for after you were done, but you kicked me out and I got hungry waiting!” 

Drift’s helm sunk to his chest, shaking it back and forth. “Really? Don’t you have like, captain things to do? You have to just sit outside and eat snacks and wait for me?” Drift could picture him, sitting crosslegged in front of his door, cramming treats into his mouth.

“Yeah and? You’re my friend! I don’t want to abandon you even if you kicked me out! So I’m just going to wait until you’re done!”  
Before Drift was given his chance to retort about _why_ he’d kicked Rodimus out, Ratchet cut him short. 

“Well, you two are in luck.” Ratchet standing after administering the last injection. “That should be good for a few days. But you haven’t fueled properly, get good energon, keep moving, and I’ll be back when its time. Do NOT forget them again!” Turning towards the door. “And Rodimus! You are suppose to be watching over him! Get him fueled, get him out of this room for a while, and make sure he takes these meds if he needs them!”

“Can do!” Even more muffled. He clearly just shoved a handful of the snacks into his mouth. 

“Pits you two...” Ratchet gathered his things, opening Drift door, before seeing Rodimus desperately trying to keep half a dozen jellied energon squares in his mouth. “Rodimus, don’t do that you’ll choke.” Holding out a servo in front of his mouth, much like a parent to a child that just stuffed their cheeks. And like that child a few of the treats tumbled out into his hand. 

“Gross Rodimus. Seriously? Were you trying not to share with me?” Nose wrinkling in disgust as Ratchet nonchalantly dumped the handful of sticky treats into the trash, before wiping the residue away.

“Remember, take your medicine for pain, _as needed_ , no more, no less.” Nodding to both young mechs before returning to his medbay. 

“So uhhhh, wanna hang out then?” Drift squinted at him. “What? I _was_ going to share! Then you kicked me out and I decided not to. But then I thought that if you saw me not sharing the treats you’d get mad, so I figured if you didn’t know what they were, you wouldn't know what you missed?” Shrugging to the knight hoping his explanation made at least a little sense.

“Rodimus, you’re an idiot. Did you at least save _one_? That _wasn’t_ in your mouth already?”

Rodimus began fishing around in the bag, finding one last one trapped in the corner. “Yeah I got like, one...”

Drift snagged it, shoving it in his mouth before Rodimus could do the same. “Now,” Treat sitting in the back of his cheek so he could talk “ next time we’re around other mechs, lets not broadcast our private exploits?” Poking Rodimus in the nose.

“Hey I kinda thought he’d already figured it out you know? Sounds like he did anyway.” Shrugging again, helplessly. “So uh, I know he said I should get you out of here, so, want to stay in your room lock the door and watch earth cartoons instead?”

Drift mouth tugged back into a slight grin. Throwing his arm around Rodimus he led him back inside his room. “Sounds like a perfect plan buddy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was fun, more Drift/Rodimus shenanigans. I promise I am getting to it being a mega/drift fic. But come on, these two are gold <3


	9. Back in (Third) command

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rodimus tries to help Drift get out of his funk, before roping him into even more of his laziness. Drift finally takes back his old position and Megatron contemplates what they might still have.

Like a good and responsible friend, Rodimus kept his word to Ratchet, regularly visiting Drift, and encouraging him towards the medbay. Each time a shorter visit as less joints needed treatments, and some just needed them less frequently. 

He hadn’t seen Megatron past a passing glance since their last interaction, not that he had been looking, Drift had also decided no one needed to know, and kept it completely to himself. As far as he could tell, Megatron did the same, not one odd look or mention.

Little by little Drift was getting re-exposed to the ship and its inhabitants. Most of the time, other than a glance the reaction was neutral to positive. One mech though took advantage of Drift’s ‘delicate’ emotional state, screeching ‘Monster! Betrayer! You’re baaaad news!’ Loudly down the hall at him. Seeing however how that mech was _Whirl_ Drift only glared daggers at him until he left, making Rodimus _promise_ to get him back for it.

“Aft. Look don’t listen to Whirl, everyone knows the truth now. And everyone knows what you were trying to do when Ratchet found you, saving those people, protecting them from fringe groups of cons. They know you’re a good guy now!”

“Hmmm...” Clenching his jaw slightly in frustration. “Am I though.” Staring blankly at his pointed pedes.

“What? Of course you are! You work soooo hard to be good! I know others see it too.”

“Can an ex con ever really be considered a ‘good guy’ though? Especially the con I was...”

Rodimus slid his arm around his friend’s shoulder, squeezing him in a sideways hug. “Drift, that con is /gone/. Deadlock died the day you became Drift again. Remembered yes, but not the mech you are today. Besides, I’m a Prime, or well, prime-worthy. If that is possible after Nyon, then you can definitely be a good guy. You _have_ to stop beating yourself up about something you can’t change.”

Raising a servo to rub the back of his helm, trying to respond. “I don’t know if that will ever happen. I guess its penance of sorts, maybe the gods just want me to feel guilty forever. Doubt Primus would even want my spark...” 

Now Rodimus threw his hands up in the air. “Pits Drift! Really? _The gods?_ That’s what your going with? You really think you are less worthy than any of the sparks that went to the well? You’re not! You are no less worthy than anyone! Whether you actually believe in them or not anymore. There are waaaaaay worse sparks out there than yours. And if we are to believe what they say about our gods, all sparks are welcome. Your’s ‘ll probably shine like a gem down there too to be honest.” Smiling in an attempt to alleviate his mood. “Don’t worry buddy, you’ll be fine.”

Drift did his best to smile back, turning back to the floor. “Alright, I guess that was a little over doing it, I just feel... helpless? Maybe helpless isn’t the word but you know what I mean. I don’t feel like I’m doing enough. Or that I can change enough.”

“Drift...” Exasperated. “Look, I have some paperwork to do in my office, we’ll fire up a holovid player, watch terrible videos of people being idiots and laugh our faces off while I barely do any of it. How does that sound?”

That gets a genuine chuckle out of the swordsmech. “Where do you keep getting these things?”

“Earth mostly. Humans are endlessly entertaining, a huge part of their culture seems to be about it. Why not enjoy it I say! The rest of course comes from Rewind, I hear he is editing together a compilations of painfully funny moments he managed to catch on film.”

“Really? Sounds embarrassing. And after what Rewind has seen, he’s probably got all of us doing something stupid somewhere on his tapes.”

“You know I don’t doubt it. Can’t wait to watch it when he’s done. Bet I’ll have my own segment!” Rodimus grin was infections at this point, causing Drift to smile bigger. 

“Best bloopers reel? It’ll be a good watch for sure. But for now, yeah, lets just hang out, I’ll even try to help, like I used to.”

“Great! Perfect! You were always soooo much faster at his slag than me.” 

“Hey, you are only faster than me at _one_ things Rodimus.” Sneering with a smug grin. 

“HEY! Not fair! Not always either!” Que Rodimus pout.

“Like nine outta ten times, yeah! My spike game’s just too good for you. You can’t hope to last that long~” 

“Pshhh not even! I could totally outlast you if I wanted! Just watch, someday I’ll totally just rock you’re world.” Rodimus shaking his servos over his head in a ‘grandiose’ fashion, as if he was motioning to the world. 

“Ha! That is so not going to happen! You’re just not as good as me!” He folded his arms and held his head up high as he strolled into Rodimus’s office. 

“Just wait! You’ll see!” Que the _epic_ Rodimus pout, it was more like he was trying to stick his lower lip out as far as possible and still keep his mouth shut at this point however. “Whatever, take the couch, I’ll get the holovid projector set up, I got the perfect vid already picked out and everything.”

Drift flopped unceremoniously on the couch, taking up as much as possible while Rodimus set up the projector. When Rodimus looked up Drift smiled smugly at the fire painted mech as if he’d gotten the best ofhim, only to have Rodimus pretty much lay on top of him.

“Oof! Aw cmon! You could have given me like, a second to move.”

“Nope, would not have been as much fun that way.” Drift struggled now to get out from underneath him, and after that failed, managed to at least find a more comfortable position. 

“Uhg fine, what are we watching.”

“Bunch of nerdy humans playing a horror game, should be good for some laughs.”

“Pfft horror games. Do they at least have a face cam so we can see them being scared idiots?”

“Of course. It wouldn’t be as good without it!”

“I’m amazed you manage to get these even!”

“I have my sources! Now sit still will ya? I gotta get comfy!”

“What about me?!”

“Shut up the vid is starting!”  
Drift rolls his optics. He’ll get him back later, he knows where Rodimus is ticklish. 

Turns out however that Rodimus had hours of these kinds of videos, often making them erupt in laughter as sometimes one of the humans would shriek and shrink away from the screen, or throw their headphones and roll backwards in their chairs, or better, completely knock them over. 

True to prediction, they didn’t get one thing done, not until an annoyed Megatron strolled into his office. 

“Are you going to do anything today, at all?” Causing Drift to start, he didn’t hear him come in, Rodimus just sighed.

“Uhhhg you’re no fun!”

“And you’re a captain! You have work to do! Pits Rodimus!” By now Drift was glancing over his shoulder and over the back of the couch, while Rodimus was practically hanging over it backwards. Megatron glanced at Drift, showing no attitude really towards him. “Hello Drift.” A simple greeting, no more, and then turned his attention back to Rodimus. “And please stop using our third in command as a chair.” Megatron walked out then, back to his own office, after grabbing a stack of abandoned work to finish himself.

“Huh, weird, Guess that means he wants you back in the office. Welcome back buddy.”

Drift was somewhat stunned at the moment, but it was surprisingly easy to accept it back. He’d already been doing a lot of his Third in command duties, now it was simply official. 

What it did mean though, was he could no longer hide in his room. Not as much anyway.

“Well guess it was inevitable. Besides, it’ll be nice to be busy with something again. My room gets, boring.”

“Well duh! Of course it does! I’ve been telling you to get out of your room for weeks now! now you don’t have a choice! And you can help me with my paperwork!”

“I’ve been doing that anyway Rodimus!”

“Yeah but now its official!”

Drift sighed, rolling his optics. “Alright yeah whatever. Guess I’ll be seeing a lot more of Megatron too.”

“Comes with being an officer. besides, he seems totally fine with you, and you seem to be less startled by him when he comes around. So I think you’ll do okay.”

Well he wasn’t lying. Drift was still slightly nervous around Megatron, however the ex warlord seemed completely unfazed, even after the other night. Though that was normal. Back before, when they were both cons, after a night together, the next day, Megatron showed no sign of it. Treated Drift, then Deadlock no differently. As did he. 

“Alright, how much work have you shirked off this time?”

“Whats on the desk..” he motioned over his shoulder. Drift looked at it, it was relatively small stack of datapads, easily able to be finished in an hour or two between them.

“Oh thats no so bad...”

“And everything in that closet back there.” Motioning to a closed door.

“Do I want to know how much you shoved in there?” Standing and headed towards the door.

“Probably not.” As Drift reached for the handle Rodimus then added a warning. “I uh, wouldn’t stand in front of it when you open that door...”

“Cmon Rodimus, How much could be in here?” Swinging it open, and a flood of paper flittered out.

“Warned you...”

“Wha..., paper? _Paper_ paper? Not datapads? What the pits!”

“Yeah we had to do some reports for something and Magnus wanted non digital hard copies, stuff that cant be wiped with a single virus you know? Lot of personal files and such.”

“Have you done any of this??”

“Uhhmmm...”

“No, the answer is no then...” A VERY hard sigh. “Pits Rodimus. Well I’ll start on the Datapads, you get to work with the paper.”

“What? Why do I get the paper?!”

“Because you made the mess!”

“Cmon Drift!”  
“No! Do it! I will tell Magnus if you don’t!”

“Not fair!” Rodimus whined in his most obnoxious voice he could muster.

“Totally fair! Now get to work you lazy aft! We’ll be at this all night and most of tomorrow too!”

“Can’t we wait?”

“Waiting is what got you into this! And now I’m dragged into it!” Drift stomped a pede to make his point. 

“Fiiiineeee! But when you’re done with the datapads will you help me?”

“Sure. _When_ I’m done.”

“Alright well, lets get started I guess...”

Just around the corner the ex warlord had been listening. Originally he’d just planned on walking away and doing his work, but had forgotten something, catching part of their conversation on his way back in. Something told him to stand there and listen, just, listen. What Drift had said only confirmed his suspicion. 

Drift was still worried about him, even _scared_ of him. It made sense to him though. Megatron was what he was, he’d sent the worst of the worst after his favorite officer. Someone he’d been more than fond of. Its no wonder Drift feared him now.

 _‘How am I going to fix this?’_ Megatron asked himself. For now, acting civil and keeping his temper seemed to be putting Drift more at ease. It was easy for him to act like he didn’t care, he’d been doing that for ages. But the one mech he wanted to repair a relationship with, was too afraid to seek him out. 

At least they’d had that kiss. One little overcharged kiss, it gave the old tyrant hope that he could still fix it. For now however, they all had work to do. He’d have another time to work on the sword mech. As long as Rodimus or the medic didn’t get to him too much first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will more than likely be in Megatron's perspective. I also might start making shorter chapters in order to get them out more often!


End file.
